Ten Years Later
by insomniac1970
Summary: Ten years ago, she broke her heart. Ten years ago, she married a man who didn't love her and she did not love. A death forces Sachiko to contact Yumi for the first time in Ten Years. How will Yumi respond? Will Sachiko be forgiven? Was originally a short story, but I don't know how long it's going to be now. Rated T for safety.
1. Chapter 1: Life as We Know It

**A/N**: This is a story that I've been thinking about for years. I'm a little nervous about jumping into a Marimite story, but I've loved many of the fanfics that others have written and I thought that I'd try my hand with a short story while I battle writer's block with my two ongoing stories. Enjoy and please let me know what you thought.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Maria-sama ga Miteru. It is the brainchild of the brilliant Konno Oyuki. Besides, if I did own it, the second season would have ended with Sachiko and Yumi confirming their love with a romantic kiss.

Ten Years Later

A Maria-sama ga Miteru Story

Chapter 1: Life as We Know It

Yumi

"I just finished my proposal for the new Haibatsu building. Five years in the company, and my dad finally let me present one of my blueprints," Yumi sighed into the phone. She was talking to her best friend, Shimazu Yoshino.

Yoshino laughed, "You can't really blame him, can you? What would his clients think if they knew that almost every building designed by Fukuzawa Architecture was drawn by a girl just out of Lillian University?"

Puffing her cheeks, the brunette retorted, "I should have known better than to complain to you." Her face and tone softened, "Thank you, Yoshino-san. I needed that. By the way, what are the girls like at Lillian this year?" Yoshino and her cousin/lover, Hasekura Rei were teachers at the all-girls' school. Yoshino taught literature and no surprise, Rei taught physical education and was the advisor for the kendo club. She had won a silver medal at the Kendo World Championships, falling to her high school nemesis, Tanaka Riko*.

"Anytime, Yumi-san," Yoshino replied. "Well, as much as I hate to cut this short, I have a pile of papers that won't grade themselves. And the girls are just as cute as always. There's a Sei-sama clone that cutting a swath through the girls."

Yumi shivered at the thought of another Sei and looked at her watch, "Oh no! I need to get going too. It was my turn to pick Yuuichi from preschool. Masa-kun has a faculty meeting today. Shall we go out for tea soon?"

"It's so hard to think of you as someone's mother, Yumi-san. You are such a mess. I don't know how Masamune-san puts up with you," the literature teacher snorted.

Yumi stuck her tongue at the phone and blushed when realized that there was no way that Yoshino could see her. They agreed to meet later in the week and hung up. As she walking to the parking lot to retrieve her Toyota Camry, Yumi wrinkled her brow sadly at the thought of her husband. She had married her brother's best friend, Kobayashi Masamune while they were both in college. He had earned a PhD from Tokyo University in mathematics and was teaching at Hanadera College. She tried to return the love that he showered on her, but something inside recoiled whenever he touched her. He loved her deeply and much of her emotional stress stemmed from knowing that she was hurting him.

As she carefully navigated the streets, she drove past a red sports car and was suddenly angry. She shook her head, 'Mou, Yumi, it's been ten years since Ogasawara-sama married Kashiwagi-san. Stop dwelling on her. She was always out of my league.' Then suddenly felt that old pain in her chest that arrived every time that Yumi thought of her former Onee-sama, Ogasawara Sachiko. 'We at least one thing in common: neither of us took our husband's name,' she chuckled to herself as tears welled in her eyes. 'I guess even ten years doesn't dull the pain. I wish that I could see her again even if it's going to hurt.'

Sachiko

"Suguru-san, please slow down, you are scaring Yumiko, and me as well," Sachiko's blue eyes were flaring with rage at her husband in name only. He was driving at high speed as usual. They had been forced to marry by both of their families right after she had graduated from Lillian. Her plans to attend the school's University were neatly swept under the rug in order to produce an heir for the Ogasawara clan. Suguru had made it quite clear that he was gay, and had no interest in ever sleeping with her except for that one time on their wedding night. A representative from each family had to witness her deflowering. It was embarrassing, it hurt, and to make matters worse, he called her, "Alice," Suguru's current lover and underclassman from Hanadera. Fortunately, that one time was all that it took to conceive their daughter. Sachiko insisted that the baby be named after her former little sister. Kashiwagi voiced no objections because he too loved the pigtailed girl as a little sister.

"Ma, Ma, Sa-chan, I swear that you become more of an old granny every day," he snorted arrogantly. "Your nagging justifies my sexual preference, not that you have anything to attract a man anyway." Suguru really was not cruel by nature, but the strain of being compelled to live with someone that you didn't love and didn't love you manifested itself in stinging barbs that peppered the couple's daily conversations.

Balling her hands into fists, Sachiko fought retaliating with like slurs while their 9 year-old daughter was within earshot. Instead, she treated her husband to an arch look and said, "Please, Suguru-san, such talk is not appropriate in front of our daughter. If you would like, we could continue this discussion at a later time."

Suguru started to retort, but remembered that there was a child in the car, "I'm sorry, Sa-chan. I forgot myself. Yumi-chan, Daddy's sorry for being mean to Mommy. Daddy had a bad day at work. I promise that it won't happen again."

A veteran of her parent's constant marital battles, Yumiko took it all in stride. Being the child of two aristocratic beauties, she herself was a creature of legend, the idol of the elementary school section of Lillian. She smiled gently to all and revealed her feelings to none.

Sachiko regarded her daughter a mixture with sadness and regret. She had always promised herself that her child would never feel the stress of parental strife, as she did growing up. She really wanted Yumiko to have a warm, loving family like her namesake did. It hurt Sachiko to see so much of herself in Yumiko. She was so emotionally distant that she appeared cold. She was a perfect lady. The one aspect in which she differed from her mother is that her temper did not flare up as easily. 'I wonder if Onee-sama worried about me as much as I worry about Yumiko.' The thought of her Onee-sama, Mizuno Youko brought a rare smile to her face. Youko was a successful Yokohama attorney living with her partner of 12 years, Satou Sei, the former Rosa Gigantea. 'If only I could have chosen love over my family as Onee-sama did, I would be with Yumi now, and I would not have to listen to Suguru-san being a bitch.'

She was distracted by her cell phone ringing. It was her mother, Sayako. "Gokigenyou, Mother," she answered. "How are you and Father doing?"

The elder Ogasawara replied, "We are well, but I'm afraid that I have some sad news. Your grandmother's friend, Ikegami Yumiko-san has passed away this morning. The funeral will be this Saturday, and her family would like you and Yumi-chan to attend as Ikegami-san was quite to close Yumi-chan and you reminded her so much of my mother. Would you call Yumi-chan and let her know?"

Sachiko's heart lurched with an intense, sharp pain that took her breath away. She protested, "Mother, we haven't spoken since before my wedding. I hurt her so badly. How could I possibly call her?"

"Don't you think that ten years are long enough for you to gather your courage and call the one who once was so precious to you?" Sayako asked pointedly. She knew the true nature of her daughter's relationship with her petite soeur. They had admitted their feelings for each other and had chastely dated before Sachiko gave in to the family's demand and married Suguru. Sayako knew that Sachiko still hadn't forgiven herself for not fighting for her love. She continued, "It is up to you, Sachiko. You breached your relationship, so it is up to you to repair it. Give my best to her. Gokigenyou," she finished right before she hung up, leaving the raven-haired heiress speechless.

Later that evening in her lonely, over-sized bedroom, Sachiko was pouring over photos from her years at Lillian. It was easy to see the difference in her expression prior to meeting Yumi to that after Yumi blew into her life like a typhoon. Her first-year pictures broke her heart, 'Oh my God, that's the same look that Yumiko has on her face all the time. I can't believe that I really was that bad before Yumi. I guess I still love her. I probably always will.'

After another ten minutes of smiling and tearing up, Sachiko cleared her eyes and called Yumi's petite soeur, Fukuzawa Touko. After graduation, Touko had married Yumi's younger brother, Yuuki, and they became doctors at the hospital that Touko's grandfather owned. Touko definitely would have her sister-in-law's phone number. "Good evening, Touko-san?"

"Gracious, Sachiko-sama, it's been so long. To what do I owe the pleasure of this call?" Touko asked.

Sachiko noted a joy in the young doctor's voice that made her envious. Of course, she had married a Fukuzawa, and in Sachiko's opinion, the Fukuzawas were the most wonderful family that she had ever met. 'Another bridge that I burned ten years ago…' To Touko, she responded, "It really has, Touko-san. I was wondering if you could give me Yumi-san's new phone number. A mutual friend of ours has died, and I am in charge of letting her know."

A cold voice on the line asked, "Do you have any right to ask me that question, Sachiko-sama? Do you know what your cowardice did to my Onee-sama? She was suicidal when you broke up with her to go through with that farce with Suguru-nii-san. She only married Kobayashi-san because he was one of the friends that helped keep her alive. Onee-sama has not been really happy since before you dumped her. How dare you put her through all those feelings again?"

Sachiko began to cry, "Don't you think that I don't know all this? My Onee-sama is living with Sei-sama. And Sei-sama was quite angry when she talked to me at the wedding. She told me EVERYTHING that I did to Yumi. I have to live with the knowledge that I let the love of my life get away. I have to live with it every day because my husband will not let me forget it. I wanted to stay with her and live my life in love with her more than anything in the world. I ache to see her, to see those beautiful, smiling brown eyes. I dream of her EVERY night. I and I alone threw all that away. If I had known better and had more courage, then I would have told my grandfather no." Regaining her composure, Sachiko continued, "I am not so foolish to hope that I could ever have her friendship again, but I need to speak with her. So could you please give me that number, Doctor?"

"Sachiko-sama, I'm so sorry," Touko said quietly. "I didn't realize that you still thought of her. Let me do this, I'll talk to Yuu-kun. He knows his sister better than anyone. If he thinks that she can handle it, he'll call you with Onee-sama's number."

The Ogasawara heiress sighed. Half a loaf is better than none. "Okay, we'll do this your way. If I had any choice, I wouldn't be disturbing Yumi's world and dredging up old pain. This is not new pain for me. I feel it every day."

Cheerfully, the formerly drill-haired girl ended the call, saying, "Thank you, Sachiko-sama. I'm sure that Yuu-kun will call you soon. Gokigenyou."

Closing her phone, Sachiko fought the urge to throw it across the room. 'Some hope is better than none,' she sighed in frustration. Her eyes began to fill with tears as she thought of the last conversation that she had with Yumi before they broke up.

_Flashback_

"Onee-sama, what do you mean that you are still marrying Kashiwagi-san?" Yumi demanded. "I thought that your family had agreed to cancel your engagement because neither you nor Kashiwagi-san wanted to be together." Sachiko had chosen the Greenhouse to tell her petite soeur about her impending marriage. It was the place where Yumi and Sachiko had confirmed their feelings after Sachiko returned to Lillian following her grandmother's death.

Sachiko's lips began to quiver as she saw the chocolate brown eyes that she loved to see her reflection in fill with a visceral pain. "Yumi, please believe me. I convinced my parents, but Grandfather is determined to have this merger with the Kashiwagi, mostly because Suguru-san and I both have same-gender lovers. He feels that this marriage will help us outgrow this "phase" we are going through. I want to be with you more than anything, but he will never allow us any peace if I defy him. He will hunt us to the ends of the Earth. Do you want to live like that? I certainly don't because we'd hate living that way so much that we would learn to hate each other."

Yumi slowly took off her rosary and dropped at Sachiko's feet."I would have hoped that you would fight for me, for our love, but I guess that I really didn't suit you after all. I can't believe that you would give up without fighting. That is not the Ogasawara Sachiko that I fell in love with. The woman that I loved is strong, courageous, and stubborn. I will not take up any more of your time, Ogasawara-sama. Please do not invite me to the wedding, and I hope that you and Kashiwagi-san will be happy. Goodbye," she finished with the little dignity that she had left. Yumi turned and fled in tears, her sobs trailing behind her.

The Greenhouse door slammed and Sachiko's stomach felt like she had been punched. Dropping to her knees, she cried, "Yumi! Come back!" When the young brunette did return, Sachiko picked herself off the floor and asked, "Maria-sama, what have I done? Yumi, you don't understand. I have no choice." Shaking the tears from her eyes, she once again put on the mask of the noblewoman that she was and went to class.

_End Flashback_

The ringing of her cell phone snapped Sachiko back from her reverie. She looked at her Caller ID, and her heart began to beat rapidly. The voice on the phone was sweet yet cold. "This is Fukuzawa. Is Ogasawara-sama available?"

Sachiko's spirit soared, but she controlled her voice, "Yumi-san? I'm so sorry to contact you after all these years, but I have some news for you."

_To be continued_

**A/N**: This was intended originally to be a one shot, but I need a couple of more chapters to wrap this up. This is my first foray into Shoujo-Ai, so please be gentle. Constructive criticism is loved. Thank you for reading!

*I took the liberty of giving the infamous Tanaka-san a first name. I could not find her name in any of the translated light novels on Baka-Tsuki. If someone knows her first name please let me know.


	2. Chapter 2: Death Warmed Over

**A/N**: I am so happy that this was so well-received. I'm happy that I had the weekend off so I could work on this chapter. It's been a while since I could get two chapters up so quickly. Please don't be disappointed if I can't the rest up at this pace. Witchgar must have been reading my mind. There will be an exposition of Yumi's reaction to Sachiko choosing her family. Thank you for reading.

**Disclaimer**: Maria-sama ga Miteru is the brainchild of Konno Oyuki. I am not making any money off this, so don't sue me.

Ten Years Later

Chapter 2: Death Warmed Over

Sachiko

(_From Last Chapter) _The ringing of her cell phone snapped Sachiko back from her reverie. She looked at her Caller ID, and her heart began to beat rapidly. The voice on the phone was sweet yet cold. "This is Fukuzawa. Is Ogasawara-sama available?"

Sachiko's spirit soared, but she controlled her voice, "Yumi-san? I'm so sorry to contact you after all these years, but I have some news for you." There was silence on the other end, so she continued, "My Grandmother's friend, Ikegami-sama has passed away."

"Yumiko-san was quite old, wasn't she? I will go to church to light a candle and pray to Maria-sama for her and her family. She was a wonderful woman," Yumi said quietly. "Is there anything else, Ogasawara-sama?"

The distance in Yumi's voice broke Sachiko's heart. Her throat constricted, and she replied, "The funeral will be Saturday. I'm guessing that it will be at Lillian's chapel. Could I call you with the time later?"

"That would be acceptable, until then, Gokigenyou." Yumi replied.

"Yumi, wait," Sachiko said desperately. "Please save my number, and call me anytime."

Yumi sighed, "I don't think that would be a good idea, Sachiko-sama. You made the choice that your life didn't have a space for me in it."

"Yumi, I never wanted to hurt you. I wanted to remain friends. Suguru-kun would not have objected to us remaining close," Sachiko said urgently.

"Sachiko-sama, this serves no purpose. All I ever wanted was for you to fight for us, to show me that I mattered as much to you as your family does," said Yumi tiredly. "I need to go. I need to make dinner for my son and my husband."

Sachiko cringed at the word, _husband_, but asked, "How old is your son, Yumi-san?"

"Sachiko-sama, do you really want to do this now? You had ten years to show interest in my life. Yuuichi-kun is 5. Don't worry; you will not be meeting him. I want nothing to do with you. Take care, Sachiko-sama," Yumi hung up.

Sachiko dropped her phone and began to weep, "She hates me. My Yumi hates me. My husband hates me, and our friends have deserted me. I have no one but Yumiko." In her mind, she heard an evil chuckle, 'You have no one to blame but yourself for that, right?' "Great, now I'm talking to myself. I've lost it. I need Yumi."

Yumi

As she was cooking, Yumi fumed, 'The nerve of that woman to ask about my life! What the hell does the high and mighty Ogasawara Sachiko care about me or my life?'

Her husband, Masamune, noticed that she was upset about something. They had only been married six years, but he had learned the expressions that Yumi had when she was angry. The only thing that would get her this emotionally engaged involved Ogasawara Sachiko. Masamune had been friends with Fukuzawa Yuuki since middle school. He had always thought that Yumi was cool and nice, but it wasn't until the Hanadera School festival planning sessions that he noticed that she was really attractive. When he asked his best friend about her, Yuuki told him to give up because she was in love with her Onee-sama. He was ready to give up like he was advised until that day.

_Flashback_

"Hey Kobayashi, have you seen my older sister around?" Yuuki asked in a panic, "None of her friends in the Yamayurikai have seen her since lunch, and Sachiko-san knows something, but she's keeping it to herself."

Masamune shook his head, "I'm sorry, Yuuki, I haven't. What's happened?"

Yuuki was ten months younger than Yumi, but people mistook them for twins because they were in the same year and they looked and acted so much alike. "Sachiko-san told me that she told Yumi that she had to marry Kashiwagi-sempai, which meant that she was dumping her. Yumi obviously didn't take it well. No surprise because my sister's whole life revolved around Sachiko-san. She loves her that much," Pausing for breath, the youngest Fukuzawa swallowed and then continued, "I'm afraid that she will do something stupid and permanent if we don't find her."

The bespectacled teen's heart leapt for joy, 'Yumi's single now! Oh wait, that doesn't mean I have a chance. She might really be _that way_. Anyway, I need to be a friend and help find her.' To Yuuki, "Does your sister have any places that she likes to go?"

Yuuki thought for moment, "Well, when Yumi thought that Sachiko-san was dumping her for Touko-chan, Satou-san took her to a friend's house. Maybe she's there."

"Sounds good, where is it?" Masamune asked.

"It's next to Lillian University. I just pray to God that she's there and not near the river," Yuuki breathed.

Noting the concern in his best friend's voice, Kobayashi attempted to comfort him as they got onto the bus for Lillian University. "Yuuki, your family is Roman Catholic, right?" Yuuki nodded. "And your religion believes that suicide is a deadly sin, right?" Again, affirmation came from the Hanadera President. "Would Yumi-san really put her soul in danger over this?"

"She was already committing a deadly sin being in a homosexual relationship, so we cannot rule it out." He ran his hand through his hair, and continued in an anguished voice, "When it comes to my sister's feelings for Sachiko-san all bets are off. I just wish that she hadn't fallen so hard."

Masamune was kicking himself, 'That was a total fail. I should shut up now and just be here for Yuuki.' After ten minutes of silence, the bus arrived at the entrance of Lillian University. Looking around, Kobayashi saw lots of houses within short walking distance, and asked Yuuki, "Now where is the house?"

Yuuki pointed to a hedge row right next to the north wall of the college. His friend was puzzled when Yuuki did not open the gate and walk in. Instead, he pushed a button on an intercom that was strategically positioned to the left of the gate in the hedge. "Ikegami-sama, I am Fukuzawa Yumi's younger brother, is my sister here?" While they were waiting for a response, he remarked absently to Masamune, "Ikegami-sama does not allow men on her property, so we must wait for her to respond."

The intercom crackled and a younger voice asked, "Are you Yuuki-kun?"

"Yes," he returned without hesitation. "Is Yumi with you, and is she safe?"

The voice replied, "I am Katou, and yes she is here. Ikegami-san is giving you special permission to come in and take her home. Yumi-chan's been crying for two hours straight, and we really think that she should be with her family. I see that you have a friend with you, I must ask that he remain there while you pick up your sister."

Kobayashi put his hand on Yuuki's shoulder, and said plainly, "Go get her. I'm fine here."

The brown-haired teen didn't need to be told twice, and he quickly opened the gate and momentarily returned with an exhausted, but still distraught Yumi. "Kobayashi, could you hold her up while I call home for a ride. We can't ride two buses with her like this."

His friend nodded, and Yuuki transferred Yumi's weight to Masamune's shoulder. Masamune felt like he had died and gone to heaven, being able to hold the girl that he liked in his arms. 'God, if this makes me a creep, so be it. She's so soft.'

Yuuki hung up the phone, and turned back to take his sister back from Kobayashi. Seeing the joyful gleam in the Student Council Secretary's eyes, he said quietly, "Kobayashi, this is not the time for that. If she is ready later, then you have my blessing, but not now when she's so vulnerable."

Masamune looked stricken, "I would never do something like that, I love her, and I'll wait for her forever, if need be."

Just then the Fukuzawa matriarch pulled up in the family sedan. Miki was still quite cute despite being in her early forties. Masamune thought, 'If Yumi ages like her mother, she'll still be hot at 50.' They loaded the now-passed out girl into the car, drove back to the house. Kobayashi excused himself after asking Yuuki to call him later.

After taking Yumi to her room, Miki rounded on her son, "What the hell happened to her?"

Yuuki was shocked at the passion in his mother's voice. With equal worry, he began to unfold the events of the afternoon, finishing, "Mom, you know how intense Nee-chan's feelings are for Sachiko-san. I always had a hunch that this would end badly."

Miki moved to the sofa, and fell heavily, "I thought this was just a phase. I never fell in love with my Onee-sama when I was at Lillian, but there were several sempais that I thought that I had crushes on. I should have made her create some distance."

"Mom, that wouldn't have mattered. By the time we noticed, she was already so in to Sachiko-san that there would have been little that we could do. Sis is quite stubborn, you know?"

She chuckled, "She gets that from your father." Sighing, she stood up. "I should check on her. Yuuki, I wanted thank you for being such a good brother. You two really are like twins."

After Miki went upstairs, he allowed himself to relax. Suddenly, he heard his mother scream, "Yuuki! Call an ambulance! Yumi's cut her wrists! God damn it, Yumi, don't you dare die on me!"

Too shocked by the situation to notice his mother rare use of profanity, he called the hospital, which dispatched an ambulance that would be there in ten minutes. He was instructed that direct pressure needed to be applied to the wounds so Yumi didn't bleed out before help arrived. Yuuki relayed the instructions to Miki, who tersely told him that she was already doing that.

He then called Shimazu Yoshino, one of Yumi's best friends and Matsudaira Touko, her Petite Soeur on 3-Way. "Shimazu-san, Matsudaira-san, we need you to meet us at the hospital. My sister has attempted suicide, and I think that she should have friends there for her." In the stunned silence that followed, he related to them how Sachiko had chosen her family over Yumi and his search for her.

"I am going to kill that fucking bitch!" Yoshino screeched. "How could she be so heartless?"

Touko shushed her and commented, "Threatening Sachiko-sama does not help Onee-sama, Yoshino-sama. I am positive that the old monster forced her to break up with Onee-sama."

Yuuki was curious, "What old monster?"

"Ogasawara-ojii-sama, her Grandfather," Touko answered. "He has been set on this merger with Suguru-nii-san's family for years, and he does not take no for an answer. My suspicion is that he threatened to make you all disappear to compel Sachiko-sama's obedience to his order. He knows that she is in love with Onee-sama, and how much she loves the rest of you."

Yoshino was not satisfied and asked, "How could he 'make them disappear' Touko-chan? Fukuzawa-oji-san is a pretty well-known architect. Someone would notice."

Touko gave a mirthless laugh, "Do you have any idea how rich the Ogasawara are and how much power they wield? That old monster has brought down three Prime Ministers with a phone call. He could collapse every major bank in Japan with a whisper. That is how powerful he is."

"Shit," said Rosa Foetida en Bouton. She had calmed down after Touko's explanation. "I'll have Sei-sama pick us up," Referring to the former Rosa Gigantea.

Later, at the hospital, Yuuki found himself repeating his story to all three former Roses and Todou Shimako, the current Rosa Gigantea and her Bouton, Nijou Noriko. All the young women vowed to keep an eye on Yumi when she returned to school to keep any rumors at bay. "Please," he pleaded. "My sister will need all of you. Please don't confront Sachiko-san or ostracize her for this because knowing Yumi, she will feel guilty and get more depressed."

Mizuno Youko, Sachiko's Onee-sama nodded sagely, responding, "We will do as you have asked. However, I will still have a talk with my Petite Soeur to hear her side of the story."

"I highly doubt that, You-chan," sniped her girlfriend, Satou Sei. "You just want to indulge in your favorite pastime, meddling."

Just as Youko was going to retort, the doctor came out of Yumi's room with Mr. and Mrs. Fukuzawa. They thanked the girls for their support, and advised that only two girls go in at a time, and that the visits must be short. The Yamayurikai, past and present, agreed and chose Touko and Shimako to go in first. Yoshino had objected, but her cousin and Onee-sama, Hasekura Rei shut her up with a look.

It was all Touko could do to keep from running into the hospital room. She restrained herself, and followed Shimako's calm pace. Yumi was awake, but her eyes were vacant and red. "Touko-chan, Shimako-san, you're here. Where is Onee-sama? I can't believe that I would be so clumsy while cooking. I still don't know how the knife hit both wrists. I hope that no one tells her that I was so clumsy because she won't want me as her little sister anymore."

Horror framed both faces staring at her. Shimako recovered first, and asked, "Where did you go at lunch today? I thought that you were coming to the Rose Mansion to eat with me as usual."

Smiling cutely, Yumi giggled, "Sorry, I had a date with Onee-sama. She was really frisky today. I hope that she didn't give me any visible hickeys!"

Touko shook her head sadly. "Onee-sama, do you remember what Sachiko-sama told you today about her and Suguru-nii-san?"

Yumi looked puzzled, "I don't remember anything. As far as I know, Tooru-oji-sama had cancelled the wedding because Kashiwagi-san is gay. Why?"

"Oh my God," Touko whispered. "Onee-sama, Sachiko-sama is still going to marry Suguru-nii-san after she graduates. She broke up with you." Ignoring Shimako's restraining hand, she continued. "You are in here because you took your brother's X-acto knife to both wrists. Onee-sama, you tried to kill yourself."

"Mou, Touko-chan, you tell such sad stories. Why would I kill myself? Onee-sama promised that we could live together while we attend Lillian University together," Yumi argued while tears began to flow from her eyes and her shoulders began to shake. "Onee-sama and I will be together forever," she laughed manically, oblivious to the astonished looks on her friends' faces.

_End Flashback_

Masamune heard about the first suicide attempt from Yuuki later. He was present for one of the others when Yumi tried to walk in front of a car. He studied his wife carefully, asking himself, 'Did she hear from Ogasawara-san? I just need to be patient. She'll tell me when she is ready.' He turned to ruffle his five-year old son's hair, "How was school today, Champ?"

Yuuichi was a combination child with Yumi's expressive face and his father's serious eyes. "It was fun. Seto-kun wiped his boogers on Ami-sensei's shirt. The boys laughed and the girls screamed with Ami-sensei. Seto-kun had to stay in for recess though." He paused, looking at Yumi, and asked, "Mommy is sad again. Why?"

Yumi's heart sank as she pretended not to hear her son's concern. 'I can't go back there again. I will not let that woman destroy me like she did ten years ago.' Her cell phone vibrated. It was a text message that read, "Yumi, please forgive me. I never stopped loving you. Call me." The color drained from her face, and she closed the phone quickly, favoring her young son with the sunniest smile that she could manage, but neither her son nor her husband was fooled. She was falling again.

**A/N**: I'm not a big fan of flashbacks. That being said, this story will have quite a few. I don't think that the others will be as long as this one was. I feel sorry for everyone in this story, but that doesn't mean that I will stop tormenting them anytime soon. Thank you for reading!


	3. Chapter 3: Darkness before Light

**A/N**: There was a question why I paired Yumi with Kobayashi. The simple reason is that in the OVA "Codename O.K. for Short (Provisional Title)," I saw some interest on his part. It may have been subtle, but I wanted a somewhat familiar character for Yumi's unloved husband. Also, this story is going to be longer than I had originally planned, so I will appreciate everyone's patience. Thank you and please enjoy!

**Disclaimer**: Konno Oyuki wrote the light novels that inspired this story. If I'd written the original Marimite, Yumi and Sachiko would be together already and planning their family.

Ten Years Later

Chapter 3: Darkness before Light

Sachiko

It had been a few days since Sachiko had given in to that stray impulse and tried to text Yumi. It wasn't returned as undeliverable, so Yumi had called on her cell phone. Sachiko had finally gotten word that the funeral for Ikegami-san was to be held in the Lillian chapel at 2 PM. She knew that she needed to call Yumi with the information, but the younger woman's icy response to her made her more nervous than she had been in years. It was not as if she was asking Yumi to go on a date with her. It was just a memorial service for a great woman. There was no guarantee that she would even see Yumi.

Once again, Sachiko wished that she had been able to convince her Grandfather that she needed to be with Yumi and not Suguru. It had been quite easy to persuade her parents, who genuinely wanted her to be happy. Her Grandfather was only concerned with the future of the business empire that the Ogasawara controlled. He had never loved his wife. She brought indispensable business connections as her dowry. Additionally, she had given him a son to carry on the name. He wanted the next generation secured through Sachiko's union with the Kashiwagi. He had seen Suguru's business acumen from an early age and he was old-fashioned enough to not want the conglomerate in the hands of a woman. Part of Sachiko's reticence in calling Yumi about the funeral stemmed from the cause of their break-up.

_Flashback (Two days before the break-up)_

Before school, a troubled Tooru called his daughter into the study. Seeing her father's anxiety made Sachiko nervous. Even though she resented her father's flagrant adultery, which helped cause her to be fearful of men, he always had a smile for his only daughter and tried to indulge her constantly. Taking command of the situation, the raven-haired teen asked, "Father, is there something wrong?"

Ogasawara Tooru was a confident and handsome man in his mid-forties. He had a commanding presence that closed many deals before he ever opened his mouth. For him to be this shaken meant only one thing, Grandfather had found out about her and Yumi being more than soeurs. "Sachiko-chan," he began. "Father wishes you to stop by his office after school. He has something important to discuss with you."

Sachiko's eyes narrowed, and she queried, "Did he find another groom for me because the deal with Kashiwagi fell apart due to Suguru-san's interests?"

"No, that's not it. I'll let Father tell you his will when you meet with him today. You have important duties as heir of the Ogasawara. One of which is securing the next heir from your body," her father explained.

Impatiently, Sachiko moved across the room. Stopping in front of the door, she shot back, "I'm not giving up Yumi no matter what Grandfather says. She's already better than any partner that he could conjure up for me."

"Sachiko-chan, do not take that tone with Father. You see him only as a friendly and charming grandpa, but he is the most ruthless person that I've ever met. Even American businessmen fear him," Tooru admonished.

Sachiko waved her hand dismissively, "I can handle Grandfather. Do not worry about me, Father."

Tooru shook his head sadly, "I pray you are right, for both Yumi-chan and your sakes." After his daughter had left the study he said to himself, "That poor girl has no idea what she is walking into. Father will chew her up and spit her out."

Later that afternoon, Sachiko's limousine pulled up in front of the massive building that housed the headquarters of the Ogasawara Conglomerate. To illustrate the size of the company, firms like Sony controlled entire industries, but the Ogasawara controlled firms like Sony. The Japanese Diet was filled with people who had sought and received the endorsement of Ogasawara Kentaro-sama. Those who did not usually were not elected.

With a bland look on her face, she was ushered into her Grandfather's office. Ogasawara Kentaro was in his late sixties, but still portrayed a vital force that made other men seem weak. "Come in Sachiko," he intoned. "I have wonderful news for you. Do you remember how you told me when you were little that your dream was to marry Suguru-kun? Well, I've arranged with Kashiwagi to have the two of you married a week after you graduate from high school, and then you both will begin the process of taking over the business as my heirs. Isn't that wonderful?"

Sachiko started, "Excuse me, Grandfather, but I thought that the betrothal was cancelled because neither Suguru-san nor I wanted to be married to each other."

"I know that the two of you are engaged in disgusting, immoral affairs. The adults in both families have agreed that you both need to grow up and this "phase" that you are both going through ends now. You and Suguru-kun will be a proper Japanese married couple," Kentaro ordered.

"No," Sachiko argued. "I am in love with Yumi, and Suguru is in love with Arisagawa-san. Suguru-san told me that he could never be sexually attracted to women, and I think that I may only be attracted to girls."

Kentaro roared, "The perversions that the two of are doing will end, and they will end now!"

"Or what?" Retorted Sachiko. "You will disinherit me? I have enough connections that I can make my own way with Yumi if necessary. Therefore, I must decline this arrangement."

Instead of exploding with rage, like she expected, Kentaro smiled coldly and opened a file folder, "Let me see, Fukuzawa Yumi, 17 years old, second year student at Lillian's high school division. She was just elected to succeed you as Rosa Chinesis. The Matsudairas' Touko-chan is her new Petite Soeur. She has a younger brother, Yuuki, who succeeded Suguru-kun as President of the Hanadera Student Council. Her mother Fukuzawa Miki is a Lillian graduate that has chosen to be a homemaker," He paused, "Now this is interesting, Yumi-chan's father, Yuuichiro, is one of the architects that has put a bid in to design a new office for one of my subsidiary companies. Quite a remarkable family. Ah, even better, they have lived in the same house since Yumi-chan was 3. It is a distinctive house that Yuuichiro-san designed himself. It would be very easy for something really awful to happen to them because they are actually quite easy to find. It would be a tragedy if the wiring that's been frayed in the recent earthquakes should spark a leaky gas line in the middle of the night. I'm afraid that it would be quite difficult to get everyone out in time, especially Yumi-chan because her bedroom is upstairs, far away from the door."

Sachiko was horrified, "Are you threatening Yumi and her family? The other Fukuzawas have nothing to do with this!"

"Oh no, Sachiko-chan, I am merely informing you of the price for defying my will and continuing something that is an abomination to God. Do you wish to go to hell for this girl, this harlot? I can arrange that, but I promise you that she will be there long before you arrive. You will marry Kashiwagi Suguru as I have commanded, or the Fukuzawas will cease to exist. You have one day to decide."

Sachiko began to cry, "How can you be so cruel? I will never let you hurt her. I'll kill myself first!"

Kentaro's face was purple with rage, "Will you cease your God-damned defiance? If you run away with the Fukuzawa girl or commit suicide, there will be swift and merciless retribution against those who remain. Do you understand?" Sachiko nodded mutely. "Good girl, now to show me your sincerity, you must end your soeur relationship and your friendship with Fukuzawa Yumi immediately."

_End Flashback_

'I'm sure Suguru-san was threatened like I was, but he does what he wants with impunity. It can't be just because he is a man could it? Why can't I do the same? I want to take back what was mine. I want my life back. I want my friends back, but most of all, I want my Yumi back by my side. I'm no good without her, and it's the only way I could ever be happy again. I don't need family or wealth. I just need Yumi.'

As her rebellious thoughts began to build, Sachiko didn't notice her husband sneaking up behind her. He had noticed the defiant tilt of her chin and he whispered into her ear, "Are you finally over your cowardice, Sa-chan? It took you long enough. For fuck's sake, you could have been seeing Yumi-chan immediately after we were forced to consummate this sham of a marriage, and I would have cheered you on. Why do you think that I've acted like such an asshole all this time? I've been so pissed off at you for caving in to the old monster that I couldn't stand it. I told you during the rehearsal dinner that it was okay for you to be with Yumi-chan and that I was marrying you in name only because that old bastard threatened Alice and my family. The reason that I picked at you so much was to make you angry enough to fight back. I really miss my fiery cousin and the wonderful expressions that she made when she was with her Petite Soeur."

Overcome, Sachiko hugged him, "Thank you, Suguru. I wish that we could have talked like this more. I miss being friends with you. I'd rather be that than your wife." Suguru smiled and pat her head. Smirking, she decided to test this renewal of friendship so she teased, "You really did ruin me for other men. There is no way in hell a man is ever sticking that in me ever again!" They both shared a laugh that seemed to sooth ten years of constant warfare. As they were laughing, Suguru's cell phone chirped. Seeing who was on the phone, he excused himself, and Sachiko smiled after an interaction with her husband for the first time since before their wedding. 'This is just the first step,' she told herself. 'I can't rush things. Patience will be the key to regaining my friendships and fixing everything that I destroyed that day in the greenhouse.'

Picking up her cell phone, Sachiko dialed Rei's number. Rei was the only one of the former Roses that didn't desert her when she broke up with Yumi, although their conversations were frostier for a time after both the wedding and Yumi's fourth and final suicide attempt. "This is Ogasawara, is Hasekura Rei available?"

Rei was in the middle of directing the kendo club's practice for an upcoming tournament. "Hello, Sachiko, to what do I owe the occasion of this call?"

"Rei, could you help me repair some of the damage that I've done to precious friendships?" Sachiko asked.

The former kendo champion smiled, 'Finally, she is waking up. It took the moron long enough.' To Sachiko she replied, "Absolutely, I would because I'm getting tired of lying to Yoshino when she asks if you've called. When I do tell her that you've called, she uses every dirty word in the book to curse you. It's surprising how angry she still is at you after all the time that's passed."

"Excellent!" Sachiko said happily. "Rei, I don't say this enough, but thank you for sticking by me all these years. As for Yoshino-chan, I have deserved everything that she has thought about me over the years, well, maybe not _everything_."

They both laughed and continued to talk until the team captain got Rei's attention to ask her when she was planning to end practice. To Sachiko, she said, "I need to go. Let's get some coffee tonight and discuss your rehabilitation."

Yumi

Much later that evening, lying in bed, Yumi felt gross. She had just acquiesced to having sex with her husband, and as usual it was disaster, and as usual it was her fault. Bitterly, she thought, 'Why can't I be more receptive toward him? He is my husband. I owe him better than this for all that he's done for me. Even if I can never love him, I do care for Masa-kun, and wish that I wasn't so cold to him.'

Yumi was quite aware, especially after the first time sleeping with him, that she was only sexually attracted to women. She had endured his attempts at lovemaking by thinking of Sei-sama, who she had always been attracted to, or Shimako, or some super-cute talent on TV. She knew that Masamune was all too aware of her inability to find any satisfaction in their intercourse sessions. There was little that she could do about it. Yumi had accepted that she was a lesbian, and nothing was going to change that. 'Poor Masa-kun,' she sighed to herself.

Her husband was pretending to sleep after his exertions. 'I love her so much. Why can't it be me? Damn that aristocratic bitch to hell!' He thought hotly. 'She's always here even though we haven't seen her in ten years.' Self-delusion was not one of Masamune's defects. He had hoped that Yumi was bisexual and could eventually fall in love with him. He knew that she still was trying to get over her former soeur when they married. His hopes were raised when they discovered that she was pregnant with Yuuichi. That was the only occasion in which she had ever kissed him with any affection. More often than not, Yumi was passive as he tried to stoke her flames so that he could make love to her instead of feeling like he was raping a corpse. An Alaskan winter day couldn't have been colder than the woman in his arms. It hurt a lot, but he put all of his love and affection into every word or moment that he shared with her. His heart clenched at those memories. He swallowed the hurt and encouraged himself, 'I can't give up. I cannot lose to Ogasawara-san. I will keep trying. That's what marriage is, isn't it? Trying hard to live with another person and make them happy? That's just what I'll do for her sake and for the sake of our son.'

Yumi was lost in her own world, trying to not to feel the waves of pain radiating from her husband. 'I cannot live half a life anymore. I shouldn't have snapped at Sachiko-sama when she tried to catch up with me after all this time. I need to talk this over with her so I can get on with my life. I cannot remain emotionally stuck at 17 forever.' Feeling stronger from making that decision, Yumi got of bed and went into her home office. She needed to talk to Yoshino, but it was after 11, and even though Yoshino was in bed, she definitely wasn't in bed alone, and Yumi didn't wish to disturb them. She opened her email and composed a message to her best friend requesting that she ask her partner, Rei, for Sachiko's email address.

She didn't have to wait long for Yoshino to respond. To say that Yoshino was surprised by Yumi's request was an understatement. The first line of the instant message that Yoshino sent was, "Are you fucking kidding me?" After wading through Yoshino's histrionics, the email address was indeed relayed. Yumi thanked her friend for her help. 'It's time to exorcise my ghosts so I can find another woman to love. I will never be a proper wife to Masa-kun, but I need Sachiko-sama to let me go so I can love again!'

_To be continued_

**A/N**: I know that the evil grandfather gimmick has been used, and I apologize to everyone for resorting to it. I named Sachiko's grandfather Kentaro because that is the name of Keitaro's male nemesis in Love Hina. I always hoped that Kentaro and Naru would get together so Keitaro could be with a girl that actually cared about and trusted him. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed: EJ Daniels, CelticX, Honulicious, Witchgar, maldytah, Wittman the Tiger Ace, and jkl27. I really appreciate it more than you know! To everyone else who is reading, I would like to thank you as well. Please enjoy!


	4. Chapter 4: Challenge Accepted

**A/N**: So far, this has been the easiest flowing fic that I've been able to write. I would like to thank everyone has reviewed. One note, I'm not apologizing for showing that Yumi has had sex with her husband. It's part of being married. At least I didn't write the actual, pathetic sex scene that I imagined. (There will be no lemons, sorry!) We cannot base the marriages in this story on Sachiko and Suguru. I'm sure that Touko and Yuuki, Yoshino and Rei, and Youko and Sei all have very happy and healthy sex lives. They got lucky and were able to be with the ones they love. Yumi and Sachiko had no such luck. Please enjoy and let me know what you thought if you feel like it. Thanks for reading!

**Disclaimer**: Konno Oyuki…blah blah blah…I don't own this…blah blah blah…I'm making no money of this story…blah blah blah.

Ten Years Later

Chapter 4: Challenge Accepted

Yumi

For Yumi, the next morning was all about Yuuichi. After coming to terms with losing Sachiko, she poured all her love into her son. Being a somewhat precocious child, Yuuichi felt the disconnect between his parents, but Yumi's love made him secure in knowing that no matter what she would be with him. She and Masamune did want another child, yet it seemed that God had other plans, and they only managed to have Yuuichi. In appearance, he was exactly like his uncle, Yuuki, and his mother with light brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. He had inherited his father's serious nature and intelligence, learning to read before he was four. Yuuichi was devoted to his mother and preternaturally attuned to her.

As per the usual routine, Yumi made breakfast, and was chatting with Yuuichi. Masamune ran into the kitchen, ruffled his son's hair affectionately, kissed Yumi on the cheek, and rushed out the door. As usual, he was running late. He took full advantage of the "PhD 10," the unwritten rule that professors with a PhD get away with being ten minutes late. Yumi, on the other hand, had been given the day off after securing the Haibatsu account. The plan was for the two of them to meet Touko and Yuuki at the zoo. Yumi had noticed that her son was fascinated by animals and she wanted to nuture that interest.

Finally, the time came for mother and son to depart for the outing and not a moment too soon for Yumi because Yuuichi was uncharacteristically bouncing off the wall in excitement. Sighing to herself, Yumi thought, 'Even he has to act like a normal five year old every once in awhile, doesn't he? As she was putting him into his booster seat, her cell phone rang. It was Sachiko. A moment of panic swept her features. She took a deep breath, and answered the phone, "Fukuzawa here. Gokigenyou Sachiko-sama, how may I help you?" It was a safe opening that eased her nerves.

"Yumi-san, I'm so sorry to call again, but Ikegami-sama's funeral has been decided. It will be Saturday, 2 o'clock, in the chapel at Lillian," she paused, taking a cleansing breath. "This may be presumptuous, but could we meet soon so I can explain some things? I know that I have no right to ask this of you, but I want to make this right so that maybe we might become friendly acquaintances again. Truthfully, I really want to be friends again. I know that I hurt you in the worst way possible and that you might never forgive me, but I want to apologize and to tell you why I did what I did."

There was silence on the other end as Yumi processed the myriad, swirling emotions that hit her with the force of semi-truck. After a few moments, she thought, 'It's now or never.' She responded, "How about today? I'm taking my son to the Ueno Zoo. Yuuki and Touko-chan will be there so they can watch Yuuichi while we talk. I would like to be able to clear the air as well so we can move on."

Sachiko's response was immediate, and later Yumi would swear that she heard nothing but pure joy in her former Onee-sama's voice, "Yes! I will be there around 1. I wish that Yumiko would have had the day off from school. You will not be sorry after we've met! See you!"

'Shit,' Yumi groaned inwardly. 'I'm already sorry, but now I'm committed to talk with her.' She breathed a quick prayer, asking Maria-sama for strength, and smiled at Yuuichi, who had missed none of the conversation, in the mirror. "Are you ready, Sweetie?" She asked.

Yuuichi raised his right hand and enthusiastically shouted, "Yes Mommy!" He really did have the ability to chase all of Yumi's gloominess away. If it wasn't for him, she might truly have been lost. She thanked God that He had sent her an angel to replace the one that she lost in high school. "Mommy, will Aunt Touko like the monkeys? I like monkeys. I like monkeys and otters and lions and monkeys and birds and monkeys. Uncle Yuuki told me that he likes monkeys."

'Because he is one,' Yumi thought in a rare moment of sibling rivalry. Chuckling to herself, she answered teasingly, "I'm not sure, Honey. Aunt Touko is more of a lion person." She revved her Camry, causing her son to giggle in delight.

Sachiko

After kissing her daughter on the cheek, Sachiko nodded for the driver to open the limousine door in front of Lillian Elementary. 'She is the only thing that makes my life worth living,' Sachiko thought fondly. As the young girl was exiting the car, Sachiko stopped her, "Have a good day, Yumiko-chan. By the way, would you like to go to the summer house next weekend with me and some of my friends?"

In her usual serious manner, Yumiko replied, "Yes Mother, I would love to go with you. Will Father and his lover be there?"

"How did you know about that?" Sachiko asked gasping in astonishment.

"I saw Father kissing some girly-looking man, so I guessed that they were lovers. Grandfather Tooru has a lover too. I saw him with her when my class was on a field trip," she responded matter of factly.

Sachiko was sick to her stomach. 'Oh my God, what are we doing to her?' After taking a moment to collect herself and to mentally send death rays to her father and husband, she smiled, "No, your Father has a meeting in France with your Great-Grandfather. It will only be women and maybe a little boy. It will be fun. I promise."

Yumiko's eyebrow quirked, "Will your lover be there, Mother?"

"I do not have a lover, Yumiko-chan. I am a respectable married woman," her mother responded with just a hint of sadness.

"Maybe you should get one because I think that you would happier like Father is. Gokigenyou, Mother," Yumiko finished as she shut the door to the limo, leaving her mother gobsmacked.

Sachiko chuckled to herself, "I'll be damned. Out of the mouths of babes comes the truth. If Yumi would forgive me and if we could have a relationship again, I wouldn't need a lover. Yumi is all I need other than My daughter. "

Masamune

'If this didn't get me closer to tenure, there is no way that I'd trudge up this freaking hill just to teach one lousy section," Kobayashi thought angrily. He had been assigned to teach a Statistics class at Hanadera University's sister school, Lillian Women's University. He thought that it was a waste of time because he already had a full teaching load. Unfortunately, he was the most junior professor in the Math faculty, essentially drawing the short straw, so he was spending time every afternoon trudging up this damned hill.

It wasn't as if he really hated teaching Statistics. He loved teaching math, any math, as much as he loved his wife. It was just that Masamune felt the injustice of having to work harder for a lower salary than the other professors. To be honest, he enjoyed the feminine charm of Lillian U. What straight man wouldn't? As he walked to the classroom, he imagined Yumi as one of the laughing happy coeds. A contented smile spread on his face at the thought. Suddenly, his progress and his reverie were stopped and he noticed a pretty young woman sitting on her rump with her legs spread slightly, her rising skirt exposing her underwear.

"Ouch, that hurts," she complained struggling to her feet.

Masamune blushed, remembering the glimpse of the young woman's panties. "I'm so sorry!"

"It's okay," the girl said with an embarrassed smile. "I wasn't watching where I was going."

"Neither was I," the young professor admitted. The girl was about Yumi's height with jet black hair and dark brown eyes. Kobayashi found himself staring at her chest, which was much larger than his wife's.

The student smiled, "Well, Kobayashi-hakase*, I guess we're even then, aren't we? My name is Komura Michie, and I'm in your Stats class. I've always wanted to talk to you, but I never thought that I'd _literally_ run into you!" They both laughed.

"Well, Komura-san, we had better get going or we'll both be late." He was dazzled by her bright smile, thinking, 'My God she is cute!' He suddenly shook his head and mentally slapped himself, 'Ya ya ya ya! I'm a married man. I'm a married man. She's only my precious student. I cannot look at her in such an unseemly manner. I only am interested in my Yumi.'

Michie noticed his struggle, and decided to bail him out, this time. "Well, Sensei, you are married to Fukuzawa Yumi, right?" He nodded and she continued, "My older sister really thought that your wife was an incredible girl when they went to high school together. Nee-chan said that Yumi-sama was Lillian's second angel along with Todou Shimako-sama. I almost think that she had a crush on your wife because talked about her constantly. My sister was extremely jealous of Yumi-sama's soeur, Ogasawara Sachiko. It is strange that she said that Yumi-sama's luster dimmed just before they started their senior year. I wonder why? I wonder if it had something to do with Sachiko-sama marrying Kashiwagi-san."

His memories, stirred of that time when Yumi was almost lost forever, caused Kobayashi to not hear the barbs in his student's voice. It was so hard to see such a vibrant and joyful girl in the depths to which the former Rosa Chinesis had fallen.

_Flashback_

A week after Yumi got out of the hospital and returned to school, the telephone rang, "Fukuzawa residence," Yuuki answered.

"Yuukichi, it is Kobayashi. Please meet me at the café next to Lillian," Masamune requested with panic in his voice. "I'm with your older sister. She almost walked in front of a train!"

Yuuki ran his hands through his hair, "Shit! I'll be right there. Please don't let her out of your sight! Thank you for calling." To his mother, he yelled, "Mom, I need to go get Nee-san. She tried to kill herself again. Fortunately, a classmate of mine stopped her."

Miki sighed heavily and asked, "Do you need me to drive you there? We can call Dr, Kimura, her psychiatrist, on the way."

"No Mom, I can manage. Kobayashi-kun is there with her," he answered. "We can both walk her home. Go ahead and call the doctor though. She's not getting better." Yuuki sprinted to the bus stop, making it to the café in record time. Upon arriving, he saw Yumi was sitting at the table, dead-eyed, pretending to listen to Masamune chatter about a funny show that he thought would cheer her up.

Kobayashi noticed him, "Oi Yuukichi, we're over here!" To Yumi, "Yumi-san, Yuuki is here to take you home." In her own world, she ignored him.

As he carried his catatonic older sister on his back, Yuuki asked quietly, "What the fuck happened?"

His friend was shocked by the profanity and replied, "I noticed your sister at the gate of Lillian as I was walking by on an errand for Takanashi-sensei, the math teacher. She was in a daze like she is now. She started walking toward the train station instead of the bus stop and it piqued my curiosity, so I followed her," he paused and took a breath. "She was walking like a ragdoll, moving like someone was working her arms and legs. I thought, 'This isn't good,' considering the other attempts at suicide. Unfortunately, I was right. She turned from the station and went toward the crossing just as the 3:20 was approaching the intersection. She walked past the safety gates just they came down. I managed to pull her off the track before train came by. She collapsed in my arms like she had been sleeping. I managed to get her to café so I sit and calm myself before I called you. It was a close thing there, Fukuzawa," he finished.

"God damn Ogasawara Sachiko for what she's done to my sister!" Yuuki yelled angrily. "There had better be a damn good reason that she dumped Yumi or I will never fucking forgive her! She was my sister's whole life. She breaks up with her and we have to pick up the pieces."

Yumi stirred, "Yuu-chan, why are carrying me? Yumi's a big girl. She can walk by herself, silly. Yumi is the big sister and Yuu-chan is the little brother. Don't forget," she said before passing out again.

Tears started falling from the eyes of the Hanadera President. Seeing that his friend was confused, Yuuki explained, "My sister hasn't talked that or called me Yuu-chan since we were in elementary school. The damage is worse. Ne, Masamune, could you let the teachers know that I won't be at school tomorrow please? I need to care for my sister."

Kobayashi nodded in awe of the devotion that he saw in Yuuki's eyes, and he decided that he wanted to take care of Yumi himself. 'I will be the one that brings back her smile and I will protect her heart!'

_End Flashback _

Masamune smiled gently at his cheerful young student, thinking, 'She's a lot like Yumi was before this crap with the Ogasawara bitch, so bright and expressive. I wish that I could help her be like that again.'

Seeing how her professor was looking at her made Michie's heart beat harder than it was before she decided to bump into him. He had caught her eye because early in the term she had seen the signs of him being someone in a one-way relationship. She had become an expert through her own painful experience with an ex-boyfriend. Michie thought Kobayashi-hakase was extremely cute in his own nerdy way. In class, she would catch herself looking at his lips as he taught, wondering what it would be like to kissed by him, and then she would get angry at herself for thinking this way about a married man and angry at his wife for not making him happier. 'If she wants to continue to moon over her high school girlfriend and neglect her husband, then I'll take him.'

As the two, teacher and student entered into the classroom, both were determined. One was determined to make his marriage work. The other was determined to destroy it. Both thought, 'Challenge accepted.'

**A/N**: Sorry about the delay. This was a complicated chapter. I wanted to show both heroines in their role as mothers, Yumi's final suicide attempt, and to introduce Michie. I hope that I didn't make Michie a bitch. She is going to be a fun OC. I hope that you all enjoyed and felt that it was worth the wait.

One last side note, last Friday, I watched the reports from Newtown, CT in horror at the scenes of violence and sadness. I am a parent myself and the thought of a madman targeting such innocent young victims broke my heart and filled me with rage. I hope that everyone treasures their families more this holiday season and give thanks to whatever higher power you believe in that you still have them. There are 27 families in a small Connecticut town that wishes that they had that chance.

*Hakase = Professor with a PhD


	5. Chapter 5: I Hate

**A/N**: Here's the deal. I'm really stuck on my Ai Yori Aoshi story, and I haven't looked at my Love Hina story for a while. So…here's another chapter of Ten Years Later, and judging from the response from the last chapter, I need to redeem myself a bit. It went over like a fart in church. Michie may be an OC, but she is not a throw-away OC. She will appear again in chapter 6. This chapter is all Yumi and Sachiko. Please enjoy and let me know what you thought. Thanks!

**Disclaimer**: Marimite is the intellectual property of Konno Oyuki. This story is not for any profit other than the sheer enjoyment of playing with Konno-sensei's wonderful characters.

Ten Years Later

Chapter 5: I Hate…

Yumi

Pulling into the zoo at five to noon, Yumi saw her brother and sister-in-law/petite soeur waiting for them in the parking lot. She put the car in park and shut off the engine. After gathering her purse, she turned her attention to her now somewhat subdued 5 year-old. He was dozing lightly in his booster seat in the back. With a wry smile, she thought, 'A 45 minute drive will overcome ever the most hyper child, won't it?'

As Yumi unbuckled Yuuichi, he woke up and was _More_ than ready to get into the zoo. He began to chatter, "There's Yuuki-ojisan and Touko-obasan! Let's go, Mommy! We've got to see the monkeys before they have to take their nap. I don't have to take a nap today, right?" Chuckling softly, Yumi shook her head and was rewarded with the 10-megawatt smile that one can only get from a happy child.

Touko and Yuuki were stifling laughter as they watched the normally composed mother and son running to them. Yuuki felt that he needed to have some fun at his older sister's expense, "Yuuichi, don't pull your mother's hand so much. She's too old to move that quickly!"

Yumi turned bright red and shot him a death glare, retorting, "I'm only 10 months older than you, butthead. I see that my petite soeur needs to employ some discipline on you to teach you how to better behave in public!"

'Oh my God, she sounded just like Sachiko-Oneesama just now,' Touko thought absently. 'I wonder if Oneesama realizes it.' She cleared the cobwebs of happier memories from her head and chastised her husband with a slap to the back of the head, "Yuu-kun, please be a proper example for our nephew."

"Yes, dear," Yuuki replied and everyone laughed. While they were walking through the entrance, he noticed that Yumi looked a bit more pensive than normal. He signaled Touko to walk/be drug ahead by a VERY excited Yuuichi. She nodded and took their nephew's hand. "Is there something wrong, Yumi?"

Yumi started to response negatively until she saw the look on her younger brother's face. She looked at her feet, and asked, "Don't be mad at me, Yuuki, but I have a meeting with Ogasawara-sama in a few minutes. She says that she needs to explain what happened in high school," she paused to gauge his reaction, but he was stone-faced, waiting for her to continue. "I need to clear this hurdle so that I can free my heart from her once and for all."

"Does this mean that you are ready to commit to your marriage?" Yuuki asked. She shook her head in negation. "What is the purpose then?"

Taking another deep breath, Yumi looked into her brother's eyes and said clearly, "I've come to grips with who I really am, and I will never be romantically attracted to men. I really tried to love Masamune-san, but I just can't. I am a lesbian."

Yuuki drew her into his arms, "I'm so proud of you, Yumi. It's about time that you woke up. The only two people that didn't know that you were a lesbian were you and Kobayashi. You've both been in denial for so long." He suddenly noticed that the front of his shirt was wet with his sister's tears.

"Thank you, Yuuki, for accepting me as I am. I was so scared to tell you. I should have known that you would have my back. You always have. I'm just scared to tell Mom and Dad. They will be so disappointed that I'll be divorcing my husband."

Yuuki laughed, "I wouldn't worry about them. They were also wondering how long you were going to keep lying to yourself. They processed that you were gay when you were dating _her_. They like Kobayashi, but we all know how miserable the two of you have been. It's your husband that you have to worry about. He is head over heels for you."

Yumi separated from her little brother and blew her bangs in relief. "I'll think about that later. Now, I need to prepare myself to see Sachiko-sama. I'm so nervous."

"Well, I can't say that I'm happy that you are meeting her. The last time that she spoke to you in person caused you to try to kill yourself," Yuuki said tersely. "She's lucky that I'm not going to be involved with your talk. I've never hit a woman, but she's the only one that's ever made me think of it."

"I may save you the effort," Yumi chuckled. "She better have one good damned reason for what she did. Did I tell you what Yoshino's response was when I told her that I needed to meet Sachiko-sama?" Yuuki looked puzzled and Yumi continued, "She screamed, 'Are you fucking kidding me?'" They shared a companionable laugh as they hurried to catch Touko and Yuuichi at the monkeys.

At the monkey enclosure, Yuuichi was telling the formerly drill-haired doctor everything that she could ever want to know about the primates. "Touko-obasan, did you know that monkeys can use tools like we can. Daddy let me watch this show and the monkeys were using sticks to get bugs out of a log. I wish that I could play with monkeys. They are my favorite animal. Are they your favorite animal, Obasan? I bet that Yuki-ojisan likes monkeys." Yumi's heart felt like it was going to burst with the joy that was radiating from her son's face.

Touko, on the other hand, had the beginning of a headache, treating her husband to a look that said, "If this is a Fukuzawa child, you are getting a vasectomy so we don't have any." Yuuki grinned and kissed his frazzled wife on her ear, a secret weak spot. "Eep!" She screeched in surprise. "Yuu-kun, don't do that in public!"

Yuuichi was oblivious, lost in the happy haze of being so close to his favorite animals. Yumi and Yuuki were laughing loudly, which caused Touko to turn red with embarrassment. In the midst of the laughter, a clear, crisp voice said, "Excuse me, Yumi-san?"

Sachiko

(One hour earlier) Finishing her hair and makeup in her bathroom, Sachiko was more nervous than she had ever been. 'After ten long years, I get to see my Yumi today!' Her heart exulted. Her head then reminded her, "What if she hates me for hurting her? I did what I did to save her.' Her heart and head began to argue, 'I should have told her the truth from the beginning. It might've softened the blow. What would that have accomplished except getting the Fukuzawas killed? I know Yumi. She would have gone after Grandfather, guns blazing, and he would have ordered their deaths. Well then, why didn't you contact her in the hospital when she tried to kill herself over your worthless self? I couldn't. It would have made things worse.' "Coward," Sachiko yelled at herself.

She suddenly heard a knock on her bathroom door, "Sachiko-sama, is everything alright?" It was Himeno Aya, her personal maid. In one of his bitchy snipes, Suguru had once suggested that middle-aged domestic was in love with her. It was one of his most hateful taunts because it reminded her of the girl she let go because Himeno looked like Yumi's mother, Miki.

Slapping herself for being loud enough to attract the attention of the help, Sachiko replied, "Nothing is wrong, Himeno, I was just trying to mentally prepare myself for an important business meeting this afternoon." It was only a half lie as this meeting was the most important in her life. After giving her appearance one last check, the raven-haired woman pulled out her cell phone and asked her driver to bring a car to the front. She had a fire engine red Porsche 911 GT3 that she could drive, but she didn't trust her nerves to not commit vehicular suicide behind the wheel.

On the way to the zoo, she rehearsed what she wanted to say. The words that she wished had come from her mouth: "Grandfather is going to kill you and your family. I love you. Please forget about me, for my sake and for yours. I only want you, but I cannot go against Grandfather." Realizing the thoughts bombarding her mind, Sachiko suddenly thought, 'I am a coward, aren't I? Now is the time to throw off the old cowardly Sachiko and embrace the woman that I was when I was with her.'

She saw Yumi's group before they saw her. Touko had straightened her hair. Sachiko thought that it was a pity because she really liked Touko's old drill curls. They were cute. Touko's husband had gotten quite handsome and looked less like a male version of Yumi and Miki, and more like his father, Yuuichiro. Yuuichi was the next to catch her attention. He looked like miniature version of Yuuki as he climbed out of the backseat, jumping into the arms of his mother. Sachiko's heart jumped to her throat as Yumi turned to greet her brother and his wife. 'She is still so beautiful after all these years!' Yumi's shorter, professional hairstyle was the only outward change that Sachiko could see from the distance.

The sight of her true love caused Sachiko's heart began to beat rapidly. She was almost hyperventilating in nervous excitement. To say that she was happy to behold the brunette would be an understatement. The thing that could compare was the first time that she held Yumiko in her arms. 'Yumi holds every part of my heart that is missing. That hasn't changed.' Preparing to face her former lover's wrath, Sachiko took a few deep breaths before exiting through the door held for her by the driver, Harada. "Wait here. I should be out in an hour," she ordered Harada.

"Yes, Ogasawara-sama," Harada replied.

Sachiko began to walk with a purpose after Yumi's party. Upon reaching them, she greeted her former soeur, "Excuse me, Yumi-san?"

Yumi

Yumi's heart fell into her stomach with those six syllables. Before her stood the woman that she loved more than her own life. This was the woman that had brought her unparalleled joy and unspeakable pain…Ogasawara Sachiko. "Yes, Ogasawara-sama, I've been expecting you," she said coldly. She excused herself momentarily to give her young son a quick kiss before sending him to play in the zoo with Touko and Yuuki.

"Your son is very handsome, Yumi-san," Sachiko said trying to break the ice.

Yumi's face was expressive with the pleasure at the comment warring with the underlying anger and ancient pain. She soon mastered herself and put the cold, distant mask back on. "Well, Ogasawara-sama, what do you have to say to me after all this time that was so important that I had to interrupt a rare day with my brother and my son?"

Visibly flinching, Sachiko took the first verbal slap. She bit her bottom lip and began slowly, "I deserve that. I deserve all your anger and your hatred. I need to tell you a story that happened two days before I broke up with you in the greenhouse."

Sachiko looked at the ground and said, "My grandfather found out about us, and threatened to kill you and your family if I didn't obey him. I never thought that he was capable of such cruelty. I always believed that the old stories of his ruthlessness were just slanders from those he defeated in business until I was at the receiving end. His dossier on your family was filled with your daily routines, financial history, vulnerabilities, and ways to destroy you all. I could not let the old monster hurt you, so I did instead. I followed his orders to save your life, and I am the one who almost killed you. I could not say anything other than what he told me to say otherwise you would all be dead. I thought that would be better to hurt you so that you and your family could live and find some happiness while I married a man that I hated, and who hated me. I'm so sorry that I made that choice instead staying with you forever like I wanted to do."

As Sachiko was speaking, Yumi was filled with rage. She slapped Sachiko so hard that the older woman crumpled to the ground. "What the fuck was that?" She screamed. "Didn't I tell you when your grandmother died not to keep things from me? Why didn't you trust me? If you had told me the truth from the beginning, maybe both of our lives would be better today!" Tears were flowing from Yumi's eyes. "You took it upon yourself to protect me without telling me what was going on. You did your Grandfather's work for him. You. Destroyed. Me. You broke more than my heart. You broke my spirit. I am not the optimistic, innocent girl that I was when we met. I married a man that I didn't love because he loved me. Is that something that the old Fukuzawa Yumi would do? No, but you fucked me up so bad that I needed someone to need me and to make me feel wanted."

"Do you think that Sei-sama and Onee-sama didn't tell me what happened after we broke up? They came to me on my wedding day, and told me in unsparing detail of the aftermath of the greenhouse," Sachiko said bitterly. "If I had to do it all over again, I would have told you everything. I was so afraid that if I did, you would confront Grandfather, and he would kill you. If I could not be with you, I wanted to be in the same world with you and breathe the same air. You were my first and last love. I will never feel for anyone what I felt for you. What I still feel for you."

Eyes flashing, Yumi grabbed Sachiko by the front of her dress and drug her to her feet, "You have no idea how much I want to beat the hell out of you, Ogasawara Sachiko. I won't do that because I believe that is what you want. You want me to hurt you. If I were to hit you again, you might have some hope that I'll forgive you sooner. That's not going to happen any time soon. The reason that I agreed to meet you is that I needed closure. I want to fall in love again. I was never attracted to men, and I decided that if I could finish the chapter that you wrote in my heart and life that I will be able to find another woman to love. One thing is for sure, it will not be with you. I hate what you did to me. I hate what you did to yourself. I hate that you never trusted me with anything important. I hate that I cannot get you out of my heart and mind completely. Most of all, I hate myself because I cannot hate you."

Suddenly removing her hands from the dress, Yumi grabbed the heiress' face and savagely ground her lips into Sachiko's, kissing her hard enough to draw blood. "Goodbye, Ogasawara Sachiko, I hope that you like the hell that you've created for us both. However, you will suffer alone because now I am free of you. Sayonara," Yumi finished before turning and running in the direction of her son.

Sachiko stood dazed and confused thinking, 'What just happened?'

To be continued…

**A/N**: I almost put in the whole scene between Sachiko and her Grandfather from chapter 3. I refrained because it would have been lazy. I hope that you all enjoyed. Please let me know what you thought! Happy New Year!

**P.S. **Ojisan= Uncle, Obasan= Aunt


	6. Chapter 6: Rupture

**A/N**: Back and better than ever. I hope everyone enjoyed the twists in the last chapter. Well, shall we proceed? Have fun and please let me know what you thought.

**Disclaimer**: Marimite is the sole property of Konno Oyuki. I claim no ownership and I'm making no money off this story.

Ten Years Later

Chapter 6: Rupture

Yumi

Breathing hard, Yumi rejoined her family at the giraffe enclosure, thinking the whole time, 'What the hell did I just do? Why did I kiss her? Shit! Shit! Shit! Okay Yumi, compose yourself before everyone knows that you screwed up.' Self-consciously, Yumi noticed that Touko had cocked an eyebrow regarding her as she arrived. The young doctor pulled her Oneesama aside while Yuuki took Yuuichi to see the bears. The question in her petite soeur's eyes forced Yumi to come up with a quick explanation. "I told her off, Touko-chan! I'm free!" She said happily, hoping that Touko didn't catch that she was lying.

Unfortunately for Yumi, her sister-in-law was not fooled and Touko asked with some irritation, "You forgave her, didn't you?"

"No, I didn't, but what I did was worse. I kissed her goodbye," Yumi confided, hoping that Touko would let it go.

"Are you out of your mind?" Touko questioned pointedly. "Do you know Sachiko-Nee-sama so little as to think that she will take that as a goodbye kiss? Oneesama, she told you that she was forced to dump you, right?" The young architect nodded, and Touko continued, "I believe that she thinks that she still loves you despite the time that you've been apart and the fact that you both married other people. Kissing her just gives her hope that she can get you back."

Yumi was indignant, "Touko-chan, there is no way in heaven and earth that I am ever giving that woman a chance to destroy me again. I've buried her ghost with this meeting. I don't need to see her ever again. She is now in my past. I'm going to ask Yoshino-san and Rei-sama if they can take me to a club. I want to meet people. I want to feel alive again!"

Touko suddenly felt like hell. She didn't want to ask this next question because she saw genuine joy in her Oneesama's eyes for the first time in years, but it was necessary. Sighing, she queried, "So, what are you going to do about your husband?"

Yumi wrinkled her nose in displeasure, "I almost forgot about Masamune. I'm going to hurt him as badly as Sachiko-sama hurt me. It can't be helped though. Neither of us will be truly happy with the way things are. Part of me wants to pull a bitch move and find a girlfriend quickly to show him that I cannot be with him."

"You cannot do that to him, Oneesama! He helped save your life. If he hadn't stalked you to the train tracks, you would have been hit by a train. You owe him better than that," Touko said with heat.

Yumi sighed, and replied, "I know that, but I also know that he won't let me go. Damn it all to hell! Why did I kiss her?"

Touko laughed, "That is the million yen question, Oneesama. Let's go and join the loves of our life." Yumi nodded with a smile, and they went in search of Yuuki and Yuuichi.

Sachiko

'She kissed me! She kissed me!' Sachiko sat in the back seat of the Mercedes sedan practically singing to herself. 'That went better than I could have dreamed. I think that she might still love me.'

She quickly dialed Rei's cell phone, but Yoshino answered, "What the fuck do you want, bitch?" Yoshino asked rudely.

"Shimazu Yoshino, do you kiss your wife with that mouth? I pity poor Rei, saddled with such a crude and profane partner. One would think that you were some impoverished high school student with that bad mouth instead of a respected Japanese Literature teacher," Sachiko fired back.

This made Yoshino angry, "You goddamned hoity-toity rich slut! If Rei-chan didn't insist on remaining friends with you, I would have kicked your ass years ago." Calming down, Yoshino continued, "Rei-chan is in the shower. We got a little frisky this morning. Of course, you wouldn't know what that feels like, throwing away true love for more money."

"Shimazu-san, please refrain from giving me the details of your love life or I'll tell Rei about your Lillian graduation party when Yumi and I caught you having sex with your petite soeur, Arima Nana."

Suddenly scared, Yoshino whispered, "Please don't bring that up. It was only once, we were drunk, and Rei-chan was at Todai. Please, I'll even promise to be nice to you even though I hate your guts for the way you hurt my best friend."

Feeling that she had the upper hand for the first time in the conversation, Sachiko drawled, "Well, I don't know. If you promise to help me get my Yumi back I might consider it."

"There's no fucking way that I'm going to help you worm your way back into her heart!" Yoshino spat. "She tried to kill herself four times after you dumped her, four times! She is married anyway, one. And two, you don't deserve her. So just leave her alone!"

Sachiko laughed gaily, "Is that the way to talk to someone who knows one of your deepest, darkest secrets? Please let your wife know that I called. I will be in contact with you soon, Yoshino-chan." She pretended to hang up and was rewarded to hear Yoshino's primal scream on the other end. 'Well, that was fun.' Pressing the end button, she decided to text Yumi to thank her for listening. She wrote, "Yumi-san, thank you for meeting me today. I would like to repair our relationship. Please text or call me when we can meet again." Closing her phone, Sachiko relaxed into the back seat of the car, reliving Yumi's last action with a smile on her face.

Masamune

Kobayashi was having a difficult time focusing on the lesson that he was teaching as Komura Michie was occupying his thoughts. He couldn't put his finger what it was that kept her in his thoughts. It was not as if he was interested in having an affair. Except for her issues with sex, Yumi was a perfectly enchanting wife in his eyes. Her beautiful hair, her soft brown eyes, and her kissable mouth had all had fascinated him since high school. He had never dated another girl other than Yumi. He had the woman of his dreams, so why was he obsessing over a student?

He had his answer two weeks after the incident in which they first met. He was reviewing the probability concepts that would be on the mid-term, and he noticed that Komura was staring at him. She wasn't staring at what he was writing on the white board. She was staring at _him_. He felt her eyes caress him from the back of the classroom. It made him uncomfortable, but he realized that what he saw in her eyes was desire. He thought for a moment, 'Am I being too conceited? She might just be flirting with me for a grade. It happens to professors all the time. It's nothing personal. She's not in to me. She just wants me to give her better grades than she deserves.' That thought comforted him and he finished the class with more confidence than he felt in a while.

As the other students were leaving, Komura walked to the front of the classroom where Masamune was cleaning the white board. "Sensei," she all but purred, "I didn't get the last part."

Maintaining his pride of his profession, Kobayashi asked, "What exactly did you not understand, Komura-san?"

With an innocent look on her face, Michie responded, "Well, it had to do with the probability of you going out for coffee with me."

The young professor was taken aback, "Komura-san, you do remember that I am married to a sempai of yours from Lillian, right?" She nodded, and he inquired, "What are you looking to get out of flirting with me? Better grades? A recommendation? Money? I'm not wealthy; my wife makes three times what I do. What is your goal here?"

Michie's smile faded and with a radiant affection flowing from her eyes, she said quietly, "I get _you_. That is all that I have wanted since the first time I saw you."

Masamune was thunderstruck. 'She wants _me_?' He rolled that thought in his mind and it still made no sense to him. 'I need to end this before it starts,' he thought decisively. Clearing his throat, he went the direct route, "So Komura-san, are you just out to sleep with the naïve professor, ruin his marriage and career, and drop him when you are done? Because there is no way that I am playing that game. I am in love with my wife, and I cherish my family."

The look on Michie's face did not waver, and she answered, "I can tell that you believe that you are telling me is the truth, but I see an unhappy man who is married to a woman who could never truly love him and merely gives him scraps of affection to keep him happy. I have been there. My last boyfriend was never over his ex, and I tried for months to get him to look at me." Her dark brown eyes slowly started to fill with tears. "Sensei, do know what the hardest part was? He never stopped thinking about her; even he was having sex with me. I broke up with him after he called out her name the last time we were intimate. I had known the whole time that he was still in love with her, but I kept telling myself that if I worked hard, then he would love me for me. I fell for you, Kobayashi-sensei, because you are in the same situation. Yumi-sama will not and cannot love you the way that she loved Sachiko-sama. I think that you deserve better, and I want to be the one that shows you what a reciprocated love feels like. You may reject me now, but I'm not giving up…ever." She grabbed his hand, kissed it, and fled the classroom.

Kobayashi stood next to the podium for five minutes, stunned to the core, before realizing that he needed to get back to Hanadera University for his next class. While he was walking down the hill, he began to question himself, 'Why did Yumi marry me? Was it out of gratitude, obligation, or love? Should I take Komura-san's confession seriously? I'm happy with Yumi, aren't I? Does Yumi love me? Does she think about Ogasawara Sachiko when we are making love? Am I just fooling myself? If Yumi is the one that I love, why didn't I argue with that girl when she said those things about my Yumi?'

By the time that he realized that he had no answers, he was back on campus. He also remembered that he had left his notes back on the podium at Lillian, meaning that he would have walk back up that damn hill and he would be late to class again. He looked to heavens and asked, "God, do you hate me or something?" He considered his options, and said aloud, "Fuck it, we're doing self-study today."

One of his students walked by as Masamune cursed and cheered, "Thanks Kobayashi-hakase, I needed that! I have a test next hour!"

Treating the exuberant youth to an arch look, the professor said sharply, "Koroda, I did not say 'Study what you want.' I meant it will be self-study for next week's calculus mid-term!"

Koroda gave him a taunting smile, "Absolutely Sensei that is exactly what I'll be doing!"

Kobayashi yelled, "Koroda don't test my patience today! Your grades aren't good enough to mess with me!" The rest of the class laughed as they listened to the exchange, leaving their teacher to mentally complain to God, 'Lord, why do you hate me?'

Yumi

As Yumi was driving Yuuichi home from the zoo, she thought about the choices that she had made in the last ten years. She regretted giving Sachiko so much importance that she'd rather be dead than live without her. She regretted the suicide attempts. She regretted the sad, worried looks that her depression gave her family and close friends. She regretted sleepwalking through her senior year at Lillian. She regretted not giving Touko the attention and not being the Oneesama that she deserved. She was too focused on her own mess.

Looking in her rearview mirror, Yumi knew she didn't regret giving birth to Yuuichi. He was the best thing to ever happen to her. No matter how things would end with his father, she as his mother would always give him first priority. She loved her career because she felt that she was helping to make the world a more beautiful place with the buildings that she designed. She was happy working with and for her dad.

Just she was pulling her Camry in the garage of the house that she had bought with her earnings, her cell phone rang, and the name in the caller ID was that of her second biggest regret, her husband. She knew that she never should have married him, but she was six years too late realizing it. Sighing, she answered the phone with a forced cheerfulness, "Hello Masa-kun, what's up?"

"Yumi-chan, could you have your parents watch Yuuichi-kun so that we can go on a date? I don't think that we have had enough 'us time' lately."

His wife cringed. She knew that the phrase "us time" was Masamune's code for "I want sex." She stifled an urge to scream "Hell no!" and answered slowly, "I don't think so, Masa-kun. Not tonight at least because our son wore himself, my brother, and my petite soeur completely out. I doubt that he will even be awake enough to eat dinner." She didn't feel like putting up with his pawing her, not this evening or ever again.

There was a silence on the other end as Kobayashi digested her response. There was an edge in his voice as he made the appropriate response, "I suppose that it would be too much for him after the day that he had to take him somewhere for the evening. Maybe we should plan something for this weekend then," he suggested.

'I can't do this,' Yumi swore mentally. 'I know what he wants, and I can't bring myself to do it again, not even to make him happy.' She calmed her tumultuous mind, and replied nonchalantly, "I'll think about it. Sorry, but I need to get Yuu-chan into the house and make something for dinner. What time will you be home tonight?"

As she piled implicit rejection upon rejection, Masamune's hurt turned to anger. 'Why is she rejecting me? Was Komura right and she really doesn't love me?' He chose his words carefully, "Yumi, I am your husband. I love you, and I need you. Are you telling me that you really are not interested in spending time with me?" He tried to sound determined, but it came off as a bit of a whine.

Now Yumi was pissed off. He was playing the "Yumi is mean to her poor husband" card. She had always hated that tactic because it made her feel obligated to give him what he wanted because she owed him. She was not in the mood to let that go. Careful not to wake the sleeping child in the back seat, Yumi softly closed the car door and walked into the house from the garage. She didn't want Yuuichi to hear her going off on his father.

With a quiet fury, Yumi answered, "You know, you're right. I don't wish to spend time with you. Do know why? It's because of the bullshit guilt trips that you use when you are horny and I'm reluctant to service you. Do you want to know something else? I don't want to have sex with you tonight or any night. I am grateful that you saved me twice. The first time when you pulled me off the train track and the second was when you gave me my son, but that is as far as it goes. I do not fucking _OWE_ you a damned thing! Every time that I gave into you when you did this crap, I felt sick. I won't do it again. You can go bang some young coed for all I care. I. AM. DONE. I'm done listening to you bitch about work. I'm done stroking your frail ego. I'm done spreading my legs for you out of obligation," she finished breathing heavily.

Overcome with rage, Masamune yelled, "You had sex with me out of obligation? That's a really fucked up thing to say. I pour my heart to you and you cut it up and crap all over it. I will be home in one hour and you _WILL_ submit to me or there will be consequences!"

Not worrying if anyone heard, Yumi screamed, "This is my house! Go stay somewhere else! If you come here and try to force me to have sex with you, I will make sure that you will not be able to reproduce ever again! If you show up here, I will call the police. I'm serious, you bastard!" She began to cry in anger, fear, and in sadness because she knew that cherished friendship was over.

Hearing the finality in her voice, Masamune understood that things would never be the same again. He backpedaled, "Yumi, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say what I did. I had a bad day at work and I took it out on you. I would never force you. All I ever wanted was your love."

"I'm sorry too, Masamune-san. I also said too much, but I am serious that trying to force me would be the biggest mistake of your life. I also think that I am still too angry to want to see your face right now. Please go stay with your parents tonight for the sake if our son. The last thing that he needs to see is an argument like we just had, and I'm afraid that it would be a bad one because I need to tell you one last truth. I am not bisexual. I am a lesbian. I am not and never will be sexually attracted to you. I have to think of women to get anything out of it when you guilt me into letting you have sex with me."

There was no response on the other side because there was nothing left to say. All of Masamune's hopes were crushed. She was supposed to be the only one that he would love, and she would love him back, but he now knew that it wasn't to be.

To be continued…

**A/N**: Whew! That was a rough chapter to finish. I hope that it wasn't too ambitious and that everyone enjoyed it. Please let me know what you thought. Thanks for reading. Peace!


	7. Chapter 7: Aftermath

**A/N**: I appreciate all the comments that I received after the last chapter. I will endeavor to get even better. BTW, in my life outside of this story, I am a major fan of the Sachiko and Yumi pairing. Just so you know. Please enjoy and let me know what you think! Thanks!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Marimite. Konno Oyuki does. I'm broke, so please don't sue me.

Ten Years Later

Chapter 7: Aftermath

Yumi

After getting her sleepy son into his bed, Yumi hurriedly called her parents. Her mother answered the phone and Yumi greeted her with high tension in her voice, "Hello Mom, is Dad there?"

Fukuzawa Miki had heard this stress before and usually meant one thing, Ogasawara Sachiko. Trying to remain calm, the Fukuzawa matriarch asked, "What's wrong, Yumi? Maybe I can help."

"I just forbade my husband from my house. He was demanding that I be intimate with him and I couldn't. The very thought makes me want to be ill."

Her mother relaxed slightly, "That is because you are a lesbian, dear. We've been expecting this for a while. I was beginning to wonder if I was wrong."

There was a stunned silence on the other line, and then Yumi chuckled, "Yuuki wasn't kidding when he said that you and Dad were already aware of things. As always, I'm the last to know these things," the young woman said ruefully.

Yumi could hear the smirk in her mother's voice as she responded, "That's because I am your mother, and I know you better than you know yourself." Miki heard a relieved sigh from her overwrought daughter, and continued, "So what would you like us to do?"

"I am going to do one thing that Masamune wanted; could you come pick Yuuichi up for the night?" Yumi knew that her soon-to-be-ex-husband would show up and she didn't want her son to witness the inevitable argument. "I don't think that he is going to take 'No' for an answer, and it could get a bit ugly."

Miki didn't need to hear anything more, "Your father will be there in 10 minutes. Do you want me to call your attorney or the police?" She was not sure of Kobayashi's temper, but she did not want to take any chances.

"That won't be necessary, Mom," Yumi answered confidently. "Masamune has never been violent." She paused before changing the subject, "Are you sure that you and Dad will not be shamed by my getting a divorce?"

"Yumi, we didn't think that you marrying him was a good idea in the first place, so we will support your ending the mistake," the grandmother said softly.

She was rewarded by the relief and tinge of joy in her daughter's voice, "Have I ever told you and Dad how much I love you? I wouldn't be here today without the two of you and Yuuki."

"Of course, I do," Miki started and Yumi finished with her, "I'm your mother. I know you better than you know yourself." They both laughed and then hung up.

Yumi then took a moment to assess her situation. She had hopes that her father would beat her husband back to her house. She knew that she was right to end it, but she did owe Masamune a lot. His dogged pursuit of her had helped shake the overwhelming depression that she felt after the break up with Sachiko. He was the most successful of all the friends that had tried to pull her out of the suicidal ocean in which she was drowning. Deep down, she knew that he really loved her, maybe to the point of obsession.

Their lovemaking always seemed like it was an act of possessiveness on his part, and one of passivity on hers. He acted as if he needed to claim her and she, in a manner reminiscent of Victorian-era wives, endured it because it was her duty. Anyone with any insight into their relationship could have told them that their marriage was far from a healthy situation, but no one offered that advice because she never asked. That is the Lillian Way; do not offer advice unless it is requested. Not that Yumi would have listened anyway. She had a son, and she believed that he needed have both his mother and father together. "That changed didn't it?" She asked herself ruefully. More than ending her marriage, she was giving up a cherished friend. As she waited to see which man would arrive first, she said a prayer to Maria-sama.

Masamune

"That fucking bitch has her nerve, to forbid _ME_ from returning home!" Kobayashi seethed in a bar near the Hanadera campus. "And then she had to rub it in my face that _SHE_ bought the house! I saved her miserable life when that Ogasawara troll threw her in the garbage, and this is the thanks that I get?"

People were beginning to move away from him as the rant gained volume. He continued to no one in particular, "You know what the topper is? She said that she's been a dyke the whole fucking time. Can you believe that shit? If she was into women, why the hell did she marry me?"

His shoulders began to shake and unabashed tears started falling from his eyes, "I love her more than anything in the world: more than our son, more than life, and certainly more than that fucking hill that I have to walk up to teach Lillian girls math! I would get a sex-change operation if only she would stay with me!"

Alerted by one of her friends that Dr. Kobayashi was in the bar piss drunk and venting, Michie made it down from the dorms in record time, walking in just as she heard her crush volunteer to become a woman so that his wife would love him. She walked up to the drunken man, slapped him across the face, and said sternly, "Kobayashi-hakase, you are making a scene, please come with me. Let's talk this out."

Bleary-eyed, Masamune looked up and saw the young university student pulling at his arm, trying with all her ninety-five pounds to get him outside. "Komura-san, what are you doing here?"

"I am trying to keep you from torpedoing your career!" Michie replied smartly, and then seeing a lack of comprehension brought about by excessive alcohol consumption, she explained, "My friend Yuri-chan knows that you and I are friends, so she texted me to say that you had been dumped by your wife, and that you were ranting and raving about it in this bar."

That seemed to resonate with the heartbroken young professor, "That's right, Yumi told me that she didn't want me to come home anymore. I don't want to live without her," he sobbed.

"Kobayashi Masamune, you have exactly ten seconds to pick your sorry butt from that bar stool and come with me or the Master (term for barkeep) will have the police here! The scandal would help your wife finish destroying you. Is that what you want? I enjoy your class, so I don't want that to happen. So please, Sensei, please come with me," she finished with an appeal that made every male heart in the bar begin to beat rapidly and other parts to embarrassingly come alive.

Masamune was not unaffected. He slowly stood, apologized for his behavior, drunkenly shuffled out of the bar with Michie right behind him. Eventually, she took the lead, and he followed, oblivious to their destination. After what seemed like seconds, he awoke in a bed. He looked around to gather his bearing, and seeing his favorite Lillian University student walking out of the bathroom, he asked, "Komura-san, where am I, and why are you here?"

Unable to contain her feelings any longer, Michie moved to the bed and kissed him passionately with a tenderness that he had never experienced in his life. Momentarily, he began to respond; much to Michie's pleased surprise. She snaked her slender arms around his neck, giving herself more fully to the kiss.

When they had to come up for air, she looked him in the eyes, and said with deliberate slowness, "Yumi-sama is a fool. You are a wonderful man that I would be proud to call my husband. I told you before that I love you, and that I would make you happier than Yumi-sama ever could. I meant that. She doesn't want to be with you. I do. What will it take for you to believe me?"

Still slightly intoxicated, Masamune took a moment to process what the younger woman said and what she was offering him. He slapped his head to clear the alcohol-induced cobwebs in his brain, and he asked sadly, "My marriage and my dream are both over, aren't they?"

"Dream, what was your dream, Masamune-san?" Michie inquired.

Oblivious to the honorific change, he explained, "Ever since I went to her house for the first time with Yuuki in our first year of high school, I dreamed that she would always smile for me like she did for her brother and for that Ogasawara bitch that killed her heart. I wanted to wake up to that smile every morning, knowing that it was special and just for me. The only time that I've seen it since we've been married was after Yuuichi-kun was born, and then it was only for our son."

The coed leaned over and kissed him softly before whispering, "Masamune-san, your dream doesn't need to die, you just need to change the object of that dream to me. I promise that you will never regret it." She began to kiss him with building intensity, silencing any answer until he was incapable of rational thought while clothes were shed and speech was replaced with passionate sighs as Michie began to heal his broken heart.

Yumi

Yumi woke up the next morning a bit stiff because she had slept sitting on her bed with a bokken* in her lap. She had packed all of her husband's belongings up and had put them in the living room. She then waited for the storm that never arrived. What she had said to her mother was true. Masamune had never been violent with her, but she wasn't about to take chances. The bokken was a wedding gift from Yoshino, who had kidded that it was a "husband correction tool." The young architect really had no idea what to do with it except that she knew that it would hurt if swung with enough force. It had not been needed, so she stood it up against the wall, and called Youko, her attorney.

On the other line, was not the beautiful raven-haired legal eagle, but her groggy, blonde wife. "Good morning, Yumi-chan. To what do I owe the pleasure of your call?" Sei asked.

Enjoying her first smile of the morning, Yumi countered, "Sei-sama, where is your sexy wife? I need to speak to her on a legal matter."

"Oh?" Sei responded drowsily. "You-chan is probably in the shower, getting ready for work. That's the only time that her cell phone isn't with her. Did you need me to take a message? She needs to be in court at 8:45." Some fumbling, "Ugh, what the hell time is it anyway?"

'Sei-sama never fails to cheer me up,' Yumi thought to herself. "It's 7:30, the time that most normal people have to get up and prepare for the work day. Being an artist, I'm sure that you cannot understand why we need to start our day in morning, right?" Yumi teased, relishing the rare opportunity to have the Tease Mistress on her heels. Sei had just finished promoting her second bestselling novel. She also moonlighted as a screenwriter, adapting _The Forest of Thorns_ for a movie that was well-received internationally.

Sei chuckled, "It's not fair to attack a girl when she's half-awake, Yumi-chan!"

This caused Yumi to laugh, "How would you know Sei-sama, have you tried?"

"Are you implying that I can get Youko do things easier when she's half-asleep? That girl is never half-asleep. She's either alert or dead to the world. There is no midway with her!" Sei replied with a pout.

Hearing the love in her older friend's voice dimmed Yumi's smile a little as she felt a bit lonely. "How nice for you, Sei-sama, to be so in love after all these years. I wish that I was that lucky," Yumi said wistfully.

"So you finally woke and realized that it's not going to work with you and Stalker-nerd, huh? The author asked. "We all had bets on how long it would take for you to stop lying to yourself about your orientation. Thank you, Yumi-chan, you just gave You-chan another reason to say 'I told you so!' She had it pegged at ten years, between your weak dating and doomed to failure marriage. I really thought that you would dump him sooner." She paused, and then chuckled, "I wonder what your old fan club will do now that you are out."

Yumi snorted, "What fan club?" The only girl from Lillian that she thought might have had a crush on her was Kanako.

"Let me see," drawled Sei, understanding that she had now taken control of the teasing. "The members are Stalker Kanako, Camera-chan, most of the first years from when you were a third year, and oh yeah, Shimako-chan."

Yumi sputtered, "There is no way that Shimako had a crush on me. She and Noriko have been together since high school!" There was a little hope sparking in her words.

'Oh ho, so the wind sits in that quarter,' Sei smirked to herself. With the smirk still in her voice, Sei retorted, "Not anymore, they broke up a month ago. It was a mutual decision. Noriko just got a job teaching Buddhist philosophy and Buddha statue appreciation in America, so instead of trying to maintain a long-distance relationship, they parted ways. It was clean and they are still friends, unlike you and the Ice Princess. Maybe I should tell her that you have accepted that you are one of us and will be single soon."

Sounding like she was drowning, Yumi choked out, "Don't do that, Sei-sama. I'm not ready to see her just yet!" As she was speaking, Sachiko's face popped into her mind unwittingly. She cursed inwardly, 'Damn, why'd I have picture _her_ face? Ugh.'

"Too late, I just texted her," Sei said slyly.

"You know, you really can be a bitch, Sei-sama," Yumi said with a mixture of irritation and affection.

Sei smiled, "You know you love me anyway, Yumi-chan. Hey,now that I think about it, if I could get Youko to agree to it, I'd add you to my harem."

Yumi heard a sharp voice in the background, "What harem, you dirty old man in a young woman's body!" Youko had come out of the shower just in time to hear her wife's perverted suggestion.

Sei began to backpedal, causing Yumi to laugh aloud, "You-chan, I was just suggesting that I could take Yumi-chan under my wing and teach her everything that she needs to know as a Bian*"

Snatching her phone from Sei, Youko commanded sharply, "Yumi-chan, please don't take this idiot seriously. She has been begging me for a three-some with you for years!" She paused, treating her partner to an arch look. "So how can I help you?"

Wiping the tears of laughter from her eyes, Yumi answered, "I need Youko-sama, Attorney at Law, to help me to divorce my husband and get full custody of my son."

Youko smiled, and said, "Good for you, Yumi-chan. I'm proud that you are finally taking this step. We will all support you. I even have some friends that I can introduce you to, one might even be girlfriend material."

"I would appreciate that, Youko-sama," Yumi said with a bit of the cheer that Youko remembered from when her younger Grand-sister was fifteen.

Youko smiled, "If you could come by this afternoon, I'll have the forms ready for you to sign. Then we just need to get Kobayashi-san's hanko (signature stamp) and you will be free to chase after Shimako-chan."

"Youko-sama, not you too," Yumi wailed in frustration. The call ended with Sei and Youko in stitches. Now that Yumi felt better about her personal life, it was time to go to work and concentrate on her and Yuuichi's future. 'Go Yumi go!' She left the house, ready to conquer the world.

Masamune

Kobayashi woke up with what felt like a pound of dust in his mouth. His head was about to explode, and just before he uttered a curse word; he noticed that his right arm was pinned by something soft and warm. His heart leapt and he thought, 'Yumi changed her mind. I'm so happy!' He leaned over to kiss his wife, but something was wrong. Yumi's hair isn't this dark brown! He asked himself, 'What the hell?' As he moved the bed coverings lower, a lump formed in his throat. It was Komura Michie naked in the bed next to him! He groaned, "Lord, why do you hate me?"

**A/N**: Things are moving along properly. I apologize to the Shimako/Noriko fans, but I had to give Sei and Youko someone to tease Yumi about. Let me know what you thought. I hope you all enjoyed. Peace!

*Bokken – a solid wood kendo practice sword. It really does hurt like hell to get hit with one. I know from personal experience…it's a long and embarrassing story.

*Bian – Takeuchi Sachiko, in the intro to her classic manga _Honey and Honey,_ remarked that it is another way to say lesbian. You got to love the indirect way that things are said in different languages!


	8. Chapter 8: So Long My Friend

A/N: Wow, did Kobayashi get a lot of hate for what happened in last chapter! For all the Sachiko fans, your favorite heiress will appear in this chapter. Last chapter was about the death throes of Yumi's marriage. I hope that everyone enjoys this chapter. If you see something that will make this story better, please let me know. Thanks!

Disclaimer: Marimite is not mine. I'm broke. I'm making no money off this little story, so please don't sue.

Ten Years Later

Chapter 8: So Long My Friend

Sachiko

As the days before Ikegami Yumiko's funeral passed, Sachiko was getting a little frustrated. Yumi had not responded to her text messages inviting her out to coffee. 'Maybe I imagined something that was not there,' the heiress thought to herself in her elegant study. 'Perhaps the kiss meant more to me than it did to her.' She began to fidget and worry that Yumi wouldn't or couldn't forgive her. 'I thought that she understood what happened when we met at the zoo. I will see her tomorrow, maybe she will feel more like talking then.' The idea comforted the raven-haired beauty.

Gracefully, Yumiko walked into Sachiko's study, and took a few moments to regard her mother. There was a nervous energy in the young mother's actions that her daughter had never seen before. 'Mother looks happier,' she thought. 'I wonder what happened.' Even at nine years of age, Yumiko had no illusions about her parents' marriage. Her classmates snidely referred to it as a "marriage of convenience." She was not a romantic by nature, but part of her wished that they would have a more normal family. Being all Ogasawara, Yumiko quickly squashed those feelings. She hated to interrupt Sachiko's daydreaming, but it was necessary because she had a message to relay. "Mother, Father called while you were out."

Snapping back to reality, Sachiko realized that her daughter was trying to get her attention. She reached over to caress the child's silky hair, "What is it, Sweetheart?" She asked lovingly.

"Father and Great-Grandfather will be delayed in France a few more days," Yumiko replied, accepting the attention. She knew that no matter what the relationship was between Sachiko and Suguru that they loved her and would always protect her. In turn, she loved her parents with as much enthusiasm as a proper noble girl should. There was however, a certain reserve, a coldness that went beyond that standard.

'Shit,' Sachiko growled to herself. This meant that she had to meet with the Royal Bank of Scotland representatives that were negotiating the financing of a Scottish business wishing to open a branch office in Japan. Ogasawara Kentaro was known to block any company from doing business in Japan that did not have his express imprimatur. Sometimes, he would call upon pet government officials to deny the necessary permit, or, as in this situation, he was threatening to pull Ogasawara money from the RBS, which would cripple its interests in Asia. This spoiled Sachiko's plans to whisk Yumiko, Yumi, and Yumi's son up to the summer house. 'That old bastard will stop at nothing to keep me unhappy, won't he?'

Now Yumiko had noticed her mother's distress, and felt the need to comfort her. She remembered the summer house plans, and said softly, "Mother, we can go to the summer house next weekend. My recital is not until the Saturday after next." Yumiko was taking piano as Sachiko had as a child. Truth be told, Yumiko's sound at nine was better than her mother's had been before she met Yumi.

Sachiko loved her daughter's attempt to cheer her, "Thank you, Yumiko. Mother is just disappointed that she couldn't arrange things better so that we could spend time with my second most important person behind you."

"Is this person your lover like Uncle Kintarou is for Father?" The child asked innocently.

A dreamy look passed over Sachiko's face quickly before dissolving in a more melancholy smile. She answered, "It is my hope that we can have that type of relationship again. I hurt this person badly just before I married your father. I pray that this person and I might renew our feelings. By the way, why are you calling your father's lover Uncle Kintarou? He prefers to be called Alice."

"I know that, but nicknames are undignified. Besides, it's weird to call a boy a girl's name," Yumiko answered evenly.

Sachiko laughed, "Yumiko, every time I begin to think of you as being overly precocious; you do something to remind me that you are a child. That isn't a bad thing because I hope that you can take your time growing up and let your poor mother spoil you!" Yumiko looked horrified at thought of being treated like a little kid, which caused her mother to laugh louder than a dignified noblewoman should. Eventually, Sachiko won her over and the mother and daughter embraced, sharing a giggle.

Yumi

The Saturday of Ikegami-san's found Yumi at her office in her funeral clothes talking on the phone. She was calling Hirota Shinji, the contractor for the Haibatsu project. He had been balking at getting started because he discovered that the architect was a woman. Finally getting through to him, she explained that it shouldn't matter whether the building was designed by a man or woman. It only mattered that the client wanted it built. Exhausting her patience, she exploded, "Listen, you misogynistic son of bitch, I designed the last _four_ projects that you worked on. We only put my father's name on them because I was just out of university and we needed the clients to focus on the building and not how young the architect was. If you do not get started on this project, you will never get Fukuzawa business again, and I will spread the word that you are unwilling to work hard, which should ruin you. You have until Monday to decide if your chauvinism is worth destroying your business and your reputation. Gokigenyou," she finished slamming the phone down.

Her father had walked into the office halfway through the conversation and smirked, "Well, Yumi-chan, that was certainly diplomatic." Yumi's face fell, worried that she had disappointed her father. His smiled broadened, "I'm proud of you. Old Hirota is a stubborn bastard and you cannot sugar-coat anything with him. The first time that I worked with him, I was just out of college like you and I was working for the Miyama firm. My old boss, Miyama-san, had approved my project and the client loved it, but Hirota was complaining that he didn't want to work with some 'god-damned snot-nosed kid who didn't know his ass from a hole in the ground.' Well, I lit into him, warning him that Miyama was behind this project and Miyama could bury him. That was all it took. He's been my contractor ever since, following me even as I got this firm going. Everything will be okay, Yumi-chan. I've known that old goat for twenty years. You've just earned his respect."

Yumi sighed, "I hope so. I would hate to have to find another contractor at this point. I also don't want to get the reputation that I run off contractors."

Yuuichiro laughed, "Trust me, Yumi-chan, you have nothing to worry about, and if he continues to act up, let me know because I WILL ruin him. It's no secret that I would like you to take over this firm when I retire, so you will need to know that you have business partners that you can rely on."

Yumi hugged her father and thanked Maria-sama once again for her parents. "Well, Dad, I would love to stay and roast Hirota-san some more, but I need to go pay my respects to someone who did their part to help me when I was at the two lowest points of my life."

"Oh," Yuuichiro said as recognition dawned in his eyes. "I'm sorry to hear that Ikegami-san had passed away. I really owe her a debt of gratitude for her giving you her support when you needed it most. Please say a prayer for her from me."

Gathering her purse and giving her dad one last hug, Yumi whispered, "Sure thing, Dad. I love you." He rewarded her with a warm smile as they parted. Walking to her Camry, Yumi thought, 'One difficult person down, one to go. Damn, I wished that I'd asked Sei-sama to come with me so I wouldn't have to deal with Sachiko-sama alone. She would have enjoyed running interference. It can't be helped. There's nothing for it now but to face the music. I get the sick feeling that I gave Sachiko-sama some hope that we'd get back together.' That idea made her groan, 'Oh shit. I hope she understood'

Sachiko

In the back of her limousine on her way to the funeral, Sachiko was once again trying to determine the meaning of Yumi kissing her at the zoo. 'Should I get my hopes up or was that the "kiss-off" as the Americans call it? What face should I have? I'm ecstatic to be seeing Yumi again, but the setting does commend itself to joyful displays. We do have a history of reunions at funerals though.' That memory brought a smile to her face.

_Flashback_

Sachiko was face-down weeping on her grandmother's bed. So much had gone wrong in the last month. As her grandmother's health declined, she began to avoid Yumi, the one person on whom she knew that she rely. It was too hard to admit that she was hurting, and she wanted to play the strong and cool Oneesama that she believed that Yumi needed. Of course, nothing was farther from the truth, but Sachiko, blind to the younger girl's unconditional love and devotion, found it easier to distance herself from Yumi than to possibly cry in front of her.

Now, it was all in shambles. Her grandmother was dead, and she knew that she had broken Yumi's heart. The purity of Yumi's love had given her so much joy, but she had lost it through her pride and stubbornness. Sachiko dreaded the next day that she would attend school because she was sure that Yumi was going to return her rosary. That thought crushed her as much as the death of her grandmother. To lose her beloved grandmother and her precious petite soeur at one time was more than could be borne.

In the back of her mind, she heard a polite knock at the door. She was vaguely aware of it opening and shutting. She looked up and saw Yumi's face, troubled, yet there was love still in her eyes. "Am I dreaming? Is it really you?" Sachiko asked, full of hope.

"I'm here Oneesama," Yumi replied.

Unbelieving, Sachiko reached up and stroked Yumi's face, "I must be dreaming."

"No, Oneesama, I'm right here," said Yumi holding Sachiko's hand to her face. "I am so sorry that I was selfish and troubled when you were going through such a difficult time."

"Yumi, you are not to blame. It's my fault. I just couldn't…" Sachiko managed between sobs.

Holding her hand tightly, Yumi said, "No. Oneesama..."

Sachiko interrupted her, asking, "You're still calling me that?"

"Of course," the brunette smiled through her tears.

Sachiko shook her head, "What I did was unforgivable. My grandmother was as a second mother to me. When she sickened, I was out of my mind with worry, so I felt that I needed to sacrifice something to be by her side, and I canceled our date. As she worsened, the harder it became for me not to cry, and I began to avoid you altogether. I was selfish and I hurt the one person who looked up to me; all because I'm not one to cry. I noticed that you were in pain and I could do nothing about it"

"You should have told me, Oneesama," Yumi said in response.

Smiling gently as she looked into Yumi's soft brown eyes, "What do you see when you look at me?"

"Oneesama," Yumi started.

Sachiko placed a finger on Yumi's lips, and said, "I love you, Yumi." She wrapped her arms around her petite soeur, taking the warmth that she'd denied herself. She felt the younger woman kiss her on the cheek and heard her say, "Oneesama, I love you too."

_End Flashback_

'Dare I dream that this would bring us back together?' While the memory filled her heart with joy, her mind reminded her of the greenhouse and some of the things that Yumi said to her at the zoo. Sachiko shook her head, and said aloud, "Worrying about it beforehand will change nothing. I am an Ogasawara, and even if Yumi totally ignores me, I will not shame the family by pursuing her at a funeral. Yet, a girl can hope, can't she?"

Yumi

After stopping at a Starbucks for a latte to calm her nerves, Yumi arrived at Lillian, and parked her car. She checked her hair in the mirror, and reminded herself why she was there. The thought of Ikegami-san's kindness and wisdom brought tears to her eyes. 'Why hadn't I called her since I graduated from university? She did so much for me, yet I didn't even visit her. I can't call Sachiko-sama an ungrateful louse because I am as well.' She wiped her eyes and made her way into the chapel.

The funeral mass was a wonderful tribute to a woman who had touched many lives in the Lillian community and beyond. Yumi did not know that Yumiko-san volunteered at a suicide prevention hotline for gay teens. She had also given several scholarships for young women to attend university. Ikegami-san was lauded as a champion for women's rights in Japan and around the world, and as a solid daughter of the Roman Catholic Church.

After the mass was complete, the mourners were led to Yumiko-san's casket to say their last farewells and say prayers for her soul. A weeping Yumi was so caught in the moment that she didn't notice an aristocratic raven-haired beauty had moved next to her and was patting her back as she paid her respects to one who was a mentor and more. Finishing her time in front of the casket, Yumi whispered, "So long, my friend."

Moments later, Yumi realized that she was in the greenhouse on the Lillian campus with her head on Sachiko's lap. "Sachiko-sama, why am I here? What are you hoping to do to me?"

Sachiko gave her the gentle smile that melted her heart so many times in high school. God, how Yumi used to love that smile, now it made her as nervous as a treed cat. "You fainted as we were leaving the chapel. I didn't wish for you to be embarrassed so I brought you here to rest."

"I hate this place! This is where you ripped my heart to shreds. I would rather that you kidnapped me and took me back to your mansion than to be in this shitty greenhouse!" Yumi was livid.

Sachiko bore the brunt of Yumi's fury, holding her tight, replying, "I brought you her to try to repair what I broke here. I made the biggest mistake of my life here, letting my grandfather break us up. I did the exact same thing that I did when my grandmother was dying; I shut you out and tried to handle it on my own. Once again, I underestimated you and how much you loved me. Moreover, I underestimated myself and my love for you. I created this hell that we are in, and I know that you might never forgive me, but if you do and we become friends again, I swear to you, to Maria-sama, to God Himself that I will never betray your feelings. I also swear that I will trust you with everything that I am and all that is going on in my life. I never stopped being in love with you. I just felt so helpless when Grandfather threatened to kill you all that I nearly killed you."

Yumi firmly broke the older woman's embrace, cold rage in her eyes, "Get me the fuck out of here before I kill _you_. I feel like I need to puke. The only way that I will ever forgive you, Ogasawara Sachiko, is if you are willing to tell your Grandfather that you are a lesbian and stick by it. Then maybe, and I do mean maybe, we might be friends again, but I will never give you my heart. I cannot trust you. You have broken my heart twice. The first time wasn't all your fault and we started dating after that, but the second time, that second time I wanted to die. The Fukuzawa Yumi that you knew and loved died in this greenhouse on that day." Yumi brushed herself off and with some dignity, walked to the door.

Yumi walked with a purpose back to her car, noticing that Sachiko was meekly following her. She unlocked the door and began to get in when it felt like her wrist was enclosed in iron. She looked over and saw Sachiko with a fire in her eyes that Yumi hadn't seen since that very first day in the Rose Mansion when Sei-sama proposed the "Make Yumi your Soeur and You Won't have to be Cinderella" match between them. Sachiko forced her back up against the car and hungrily kissed her until she unwittingly began to respond passionately. Smiling with satisfaction, the heiress whispered, "I love you, Yumi. I will not stop until you love me again. I will not lose." She then turned and gracefully walked to her limousine like nothing had happened, leaving Yumi aroused, angry with herself, and very confused. Overwhelmed, she dropped to her knees.

While she was processing what just happened, a soft voice asked, "Yumi-san, are you okay?" Shaking herself back to consciousness, Yumi looked up and saw the breathtaking Toudou Shimako looking down at her with concern in her eyes. "I am here for you, Yumi-san."

Yumi struggled to her feet, and hugged her friend fiercely, crying, "Shimako-san, I am so happy to see you!"

"Oneesama suggested that you might need to see a friendly face after having to deal with Ogasawara-sama. I hope that I'm not too late to keep you from making a mistake," Shimako said, returning the embrace.

Yumi noticed that the normally gracious shrine maiden had pronounced Sachiko's name with some uncharacteristic venom. "No, you came at precisely the right time, Shimako-san," Yumi answered warmly. "What do you say we get out of here and go get a drink?"

"Yumi-san, are you propositioning me?" The gentle woman asked with a flirtatious pout. "You know that I'm no good with alcohol."

Yumi smiled, appreciating Shimako's efforts, "Not this time, Shimako-san. I just need a friend today, but tomorrow is another story." Both women laughed. Smirking, Yumi asked, "My car or yours?"

To be continued…

**A/N**: And we officially have our love triangle, ladies and gentlemen. I abridged the makeup scene from the "Under a Parasol" episode, so please don't flame me for it. I honestly didn't want to type the whole thing, just the parts that made Sachiko smile. This story is now moving into a more romantic arc with Shimako and Sachiko competing for our heroine's heart. I don't think that it will get lighter until Yumi and I figure out which way we'll go. Just because, this fic is listed as Yumi and Sachiko doesn't necessarily mean that they will wind up together in the end. To me, it means that the story is mostly from their points of view. It also doesn't mean that they won't wind up back together.

Thank you all for your patience and thank you for continuing to read. If you feel inspired, please let me know what you thought. Peace!


	9. Chapter 9: Clowns (Can You See Me Now?)

**A/N**: This begins the more romantic arc of the story. Sachiko has made her intentions clear and Yumi and Shimako have tacitly acknowledged their attraction to each other. Neither Yumi nor I know which way this is going to end, but Sachiko has A LOT of work to do to even have a chance.

**Disclaimer**: Marimite is the creation of Konno Oyuki. I make no claim to own anything but this particular scenario, and I am making no money from writing this story.

Ten Year Later

Chapter 9: Clowns (Can You See Me Now?)

Yumi

The next Monday morning after the funeral found Yumi at the office working on her next design. This was a proposal for a new community center in Sendai. The previous one had been badly damaged in the 2011 Tohoku Tsunami and the city needed something new to help its citizens feel hope and to spur the region's recovery. She felt good about projects like this and she was excited to be invited to present a design. She worked feverishly on her computer. Yumi's father, Yuuichiro would walk by every so often, look at her design, and offer suggestions that the young woman added without question. Yumi loved the working relationship that she had with him. More often than not, they were thinking the same thing even though he still did his designs the old-fashioned way, on drafting paper. Yumi's designs were printed on drafting paper by a high-tech printer. A lot of good-natured teasing made the work go by faster. At the end of the day, she was tired, but satisfied with what she'd done.

"Dad, I need to go pick up Yuuichi-kun from pre-school. Do you have enough energy to hold down the fort? I mean you are getting older," She asked with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

An eraser flew by her ear, missing by inches, "Smart-ass. This old man could outwork you or any other person in this firm," he quipped.

Yumi looked at Yuuichiro and tried not to laugh at the defiant lift of his chin. She knew that if he really wished to hit her with the eraser, he could have done so with ease. She also knew that his comeback for her old comment was the truth. He really could outwork them all and he had a tendency to overwork, which made him look older than his fifty-two years. He was still a handsome man even though his black hair was now mostly gray. "Don't overdo it or Mom will kill us both. Love you, Dad. I'll see you tomorrow morning when you come in."

Yuuichiro grunted, "Miki would be more mad at me than you. She's been nagging me for years to slow down. I can't help it. It's the way that my generation was trained." They shared an affectionate hug and as Yumi walked to her car, Yuuichiro thought, 'Maybe it's time to start teaching her to take over the business. It'll certainly make Miki happier and _that_ is its own reward.'

Sachiko

Back at home after entertaining the Royal Bank of Scotland representatives, Sachiko found herself with little to do but jump on the internet. After some teasing by Suguru, she had created a facebook account and spent most days checking Yumi's account. She felt a warm thrill in her center when she noticed that Yumi had changed her profile to read "divorced" and "Interested in: Women." While she was happy that Yumi's divorce with Kobayashi was proceeding, Sachiko hoped that the loss of that marriage didn't undo the progress that Sachiko felt that she made at the funeral. She took a step that she had been putting off for years: she sent Yumi a friend request.

After the request was sent, the statuesque woman noticed that there was a flirty conversation going on between Yumi and the former Rosa Gigantea, Toudou Shimako. Sachiko felt a fit of her old adolescent hysteria building. 'Who does this woman think she is to try to swoop in and steal _my _Yumi?' As far as the blue-eyed heiress knew, Shimako was still with Noriko. 'I wonder if Noriko-chan knows that her girlfriend is flirting with another woman on facebook.' Her heart dropped when she went to Nijou Noriko's account and found that she was in a relationship with some gaijin and that she was now living in the United States. This led her to utter a profanity that she would never allow be heard in public.

Sachiko now realized that she had a formidable rival for Yumi's affections. Had it been a stranger, Sachiko knew that she could easily destroy them, but this was a friend. This was Shimako-chan. Shimako was one of the few former Yamayurikai members that did not shun her after the break-up. She never went out of her way to make friendly overtures to the former Rosa Chinesis, but she was always polite and outwardly kind. She thought aloud, "The Angel of Lillian, eh? I just have to keep showing Yumi my love and hope that it is enough to tear down the walls has built up against me before that little mouse can get her claws into her."

"So Sa-chan has a familiar rival for Yumi-chan," a sarcastic voice chuckled from the doorway. Sachiko's husband was standing in the doorway of her office. He still had his garment bag over his shoulder. "I'm home, Sa-chan, would you favor your husband with a 'welcome home' kiss?"

Detecting a playfulness in Suguru's voice, Sachiko decided to respond in kind, "I'll pass, dear husband, but by the look on your face, I'd say that Alice-san has already welcomed you home. My God, please don't advertise that you are able to be with the one that you love when I still can't. You look like a cat after drinking a bowl of cream"

"Cream, huh?" Suguru pondered. "I guess that one could call it cream. We both had plenty though. Alice had missed me and he was quite insatiable."

Torn between wanting to strangle him for bragging and laughing, Sachiko chose the latter, "You have told me more about your love life than I ever wanted to know, Suguru-san. Thank you for the disgusting mental images."

"You are quite welcome, Sa-chan," Suguru shot back between chuckles. "Now we just need to get you and Yumi-chan back together so you can give me disgusting mental images of the two of you having sex. So get your aristocratic ass off facebook, and go get your girl!" He looked around and seeing no staff in the room said sotto voce, "My sources tell me that she is en route to Hanadera Kindergarten to pick up her son. If you hurry, you might get to see her."

"Now you get your hug," the raven-haired mother said as she threw her arms around his neck. "You really are a better friend than you are a husband."

Accepting the hug, the former Prince of Hanadera countered, "And I liked you better when you were just my younger cousin with our precious Yumi-chan by your side. Now get the hell out of here before you miss her." He laughed as his dignified wife ran out of the room with unseemly haste. "There's still hope for her after all. Now how do we keep the old ogre from finding out that Sa-chan is in contact with Yumi-chan again? Hmm…I should call Tooru-sama."

Shimako

As Shimako prepared her materials for class the next day, she marveled at how her life had changed in the space of a week. One week ago, she was more depressed than anyone thought possible. Noriko had called to tell her that she found someone while she was teaching in the US. It wasn't that her ex-girlfriend and petite soeur had found someone to love, but it was the excitement in Noriko's voice as she talked about her new beau. Yes, Noriko had fallen for a man. Those two reasons were what caused the normally even-keel woman to disintegrate into a sobbing mess at the drop of a hat.

It was news from her Oneesama, Satou Sei that gave her something to get excited for other than the room of kindergartners at Lillian Elementary. Shimako had nursed a small crush on Yumi throughout high school. She kept it to herself because it was obvious to all that Yumi was beyond gone for Sachiko. She was content to become one of Yumi's best friends and to be a pillar of support.

Then came Nijou Noriko and the crush was pushed to the back burner by a love affair more passionate than anyone would expect from Shimako's seemingly placid nature. It was her love for Noriko that ended her dreams of becoming a nun. The emotional and sexual attachment was too powerful for Shimako to conceive giving up for a life of prayer and celibacy. If there was a poll among the Lillian student body as to who had lost their virginity first between her, Yoshino, and Yumi, everyone would have guessed wrong as the passion between Noriko and the Angel of Lillian had kindled into a scorching flame shortly after they became soeurs.

They managed to settle into life after high school, attending Lillian University. Shimako took a Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education with eye to becoming a kindergarten teacher while Noriko worked all the way to a PhD in Cultural Anthropology and Sociology. So they both became teachers at Lillian, Shimako in the elementary division and Noriko at the university. They were living together and quite happy until Noriko was given an offer that she couldn't refuse and left to teach in the United States.

On the surface, it was an amicable break up with both women understanding that a long distance relationship would not work for either of them. Additionally, Noriko was showing signs of restlessness and they were beginning to quarrel over the strange text messages that Noriko would get from other women and over Shimako's lower sex drive because chasing five and six-year-olds would have tired even the hyperactive princess of Molmol, Kaolla Su. Shimako was not Kaolla Su and could never be characterized as hyper. She could be lively yes, but not hyper.

It was Noriko who suggested that they end it and Shimako reluctantly accepted, not realizing how big of a hole that Noriko's absence would create. For the first couple of months, Shimako showed no outward signs that her heart was broken, but all it took to break the wall of pain was Sei pulling her aside and in no uncertain terms telling her to cut the bullshit and just be honest with herself. She wept on her Oneesama's shoulder for an hour and then after Sei left, she spent the weekend racked with sorrow and loss. What made it worse was Noriko's call, informing her that she was now dating an American man. She wanted to die, but Shimako was back at school on Monday, ready to pour all of her heart into teaching her young charges. She was still hurting and depressed for the next few weeks after Sei's reprimand and Noriko's news when her Oneesama dropped another bomb.

_Flashback_

As Lillian's newest kindergarten teacher was leaving for the day, her cell phone chirped. She sighed tiredly when she saw the name Satou Sei on the Caller ID. Knowing that if her Oneesama was calling her, she had better answer or the older woman would keep calling and texting her. "Yes, Oneesama, how can I help you?"

"Aw, you're no fun Shimako-chan. I even have good news for you," Sei teased. Shimako could picture the mischief dancing in her sempai's eyes. "Guess who's about to be on the market and looking for a girlfriend?"

Not wanting to play her soeur's games, she asked, "Who would that be, Pippa Middleton?" The thought of the Duchess of Cambridge's younger sister had kept Shimako warm on nights when Noriko worked late. It was her celebrity crush.

Sei laughed and replied, "Nah, it's someone _much _closer to home. Yumi-chan has finally come to grips with who she really is and threw her worthless husband out. I think that she might have a little thing for you."

Shimako's heart began to beat faster as the high school infatuation that she thought gone had reemerged with a vengeance. She was only able to squeak out, "She does?"

"Funny, Yumi-chan had the same reaction when I told her that you had crushed on her in high school," Sei chuckled. "In all seriousness, I hope that Yumi-chan's first post-divorce girlfriend would be someone like you or that walking stick, Kanako-chan. I'm just praying that the Ice Queen doesn't realize that Yumi-chan's unattached and tries to get back into her life."

_End Flashback_

To say that Shimako was in love with Yumi would be an overstatement. All she knew was that she had always liked Yumi and had played with the idea of dating the young architect in the past. 'It might wind up being something real,' she thought. 'I'm not rushing this though, because we are both technically on the rebound. If nothing else, I can try to keep her out of Sachiko-sama's clutches. Let's start with asking her out for drinks.' She smiled a smile that would have been more in place on her Oneesama's than hers. 'Maybe at some point, I can teach her some _really_ nice tricks.' She dialed Yumi's number on her cell phone.

Yumi

As Yumi was driving to pick up her son, she mentally played through the events that happened directly after the funeral. Sachiko had kissed her head off and Shimako was flirting with her. 'Who would have thought that a quiet girl like Shimako could come off so sexy? I wonder what Noriko-chan taught her. I haven't been hit on like that by a girl since Sei-sama and she was only kidding, I think. One never knows with Sei-sama.' These thoughts flitted in her mind before her former Oneesama's face overwhelmed them. As much as she wanted to, she could not deny the desire that Sachiko's kiss had kindled in her body. 'I guess that Sachiko-sama will no longer be satisfied with an innocent relationship, will she?' Yumi laughed to herself.

She arrived at Hanadera Kindergarten and her face flushed when she saw a limousine parked in front of the school. "Maria-sama, please tell me that _she_ isn't here," Yumi prayed fervently. "I'm not mentally prepared to see her yet!"

Her fears were confirmed when the limo door open and an elegant, raven-haired beauty exited the vehicle. The smile on Sachiko's face was blinding, which caused Yumi's heart to flutter and warmth began to spread in her center. 'God, does this mean I want her? I don't want to be with her, but I think that might like to sleep with her,' she thought appalled at the implication. She plastered a smile on her face as parked her car and prepared to walk into the school.

"Yumi," the heiress said simply, reveling in the blush that was still on the brunette's face. She exulted, 'Yumi's thinking about that kiss, about me!' She smirked confidently as she walked toward her former little sister, then she extended her hand, expecting Yumi to shake it.

Yumi was panicking, 'Shit, shit, shit! Why do I let that witch affect me like this? Maria-sama, please send Shimako-san to rescue me!' As if to be an answer to Yumi's impassioned prayer, a car pulled up. Unfortunately, it wasn't the Lillian Kindergarten teacher that got out of the car. It was Kobayashi and some woman that was _much_ younger than her, looking at him with adoring eyes.

Sachiko's smirk dissolved into rage. 'He had my angel, and he was messing with some young kid?!' She turned to look at aforesaid angel whose blush had changed to something approaching joy. The blue-eyed woman asked herself, 'What the hell? Why is this vulgar display making Yumi happy?'

Faith in Maria-sama restored, Yumi walked slowly to her soon to be ex-husband and asked teasingly, "Well, Masamune-kun, what do we have here?"

The professor rubbed the back of his head as he introduced Michie as a "good friend and the person who saved his life." Michie's face crinkled when he called her a friend, but the adoring look was back at the end of the introduction. "Well, Yumi-san, you were right. We really are no good together. We both need something that neither of us can give to the other. I will sign the divorce papers when I am served."

"Thank you, Masamune-kun," Yumi smiled. "For Yuuichi-kun's sake, I would like us to still be friendly. We have been friends for twelve years and I would hate for our mistake of a marriage to end that."

Masamune nodded, ignoring Michie bristling next to him, "I would like that too. You were my first love, but I was never yours. I never could compete with her, could I?"

Yumi flushed in embarrassment as she remembered the "_her_" that Kobayashi mentioned was watching this conversation. She looked to see how Sachiko was reacting to all of this and she saw that damned arrogant smirk that was on her face prior to the man arriving. Taking a deep breath, Yumi made a quick decision, "Masamune-san, could you go collect our son while I speak to Ogasawara-sama please?"

With a start, Masamune looked over to see Sachiko giving him a dismissive glare. "Certainly, besides, Michie-chan is going to be a part of my life for a long time, so I would like him to meet her," he paused, and then whispered to Yumi, "For our son's sake, please be careful with her. She nearly killed you once. Don't give her the chance to leave our son motherless."

Yumi smirked, "As if she really has a chance. I have other options. I also think that I might like exploring the singles scene." They laughed before he escorted his girlfriend into the school.

"Yumi, I heard what that male said to you, and I swear before God, Maria-sama, Buddha, and all of the ancient kami* of our nation that if you forgive me and give me another chance that I will love you as you deserve to be loved and that I will never hurt you again."

Yumi fought down the lust that Sachiko's blue eyes and passion triggered in her and said tiredly, "You said the same things at the zoo, Sachiko-sama, and I believe that I made my own feelings quite clear at that time. I simply cannot trust you right now. Trust must be earned."

"More than anyone else, you know how I hate to lose. I gave you up once, but I will not hand you over to Toudou Shimako," Sachiko responded with a quiet intensity.

Yumi smirked, "What if I said that we were already dating? Would you still be so sure of yourself?" She watched as the heiress deflated and experienced a delicious, vengeful thrill. "We are not dating, yet. I might decide that she is better for me than you have been or would be. If you want to be with me, you have a shitload of work to do to prove to me that I would be safe giving my heart a second time, and even then Shimako-san and I may start dating."

Sachiko's smile was radiant, "So you mean that there is a chance?"

Yumi's stomach dropped as she realized what she said. She groaned, "Damn it…"

To be continued…

**A/N**: Thank you all for patiently waiting. I hope that I didn't overdo Shimako's back story. My favorite shrine daughter will make her move in the next chapter. By the way, this chapter's title and the remaining chapter titles will have theme. Virtual cookies will be awarded to the first person who guesses the reference. Thank you again for reading and please let me know what you thought. Peace!

*Kami - Spirit or gods


	10. Chapter 10: How Soon is Now?

**A/N**: It's been a while, but here is another chapter. I really appreciate the response that I have been getting on this story. It amazes me that everyone is still reading even with there being weeks and months between updates. You are all awesome!

**Disclaimer**: Maria-sama ga Miteru is the creation of Konno Oyuki. Konno-sensei retains all rights. This poor writer makes no claim of ownership and is receiving nothing but enjoyment for writing this.

Ten Years Later

Chapter 10: How Soon is Now?

Shimako

Staring into mirror in her apartment, Shimako could not fight the butterflies fluttering in her stomach. Yumi had found a sitter for Yuuichi and they were going to go out drinking for the first time as single women. She was quite aware that this could turn out to be more of a date than just two old friends hanging out. Her conversations with Yumi on facebook and the phone had been getting progressively more flirtatious and had been deeper than any they had in high school. 'It makes sense,' she laughed to herself. 'We are both adults who have loved and lost.'

A shadow crossed her face as Noriko's image appeared in her mind. Her soeur's last email had been sensitive to her feelings, but conveyed a sense of happiness and contentment that brought remembered pain. She angrily dabbed her eyes and said, "No more thinking about that! I need to move on with my life too.' Looking in the mirror, Shimako was more pleased with the playfulness that caused her normally serene eyes to twinkle. She tossed her light chestnut-colored hair, and fashioning her fingers into an ersatz gun, Shimako pointed at the mirror, and her best idol imitation fired off a round, giggling, "Watch out, Fukuzawa Yumi, here I come! God, I'm such a dork!" She was laughing as she gathered her purse, cell phone, and car keys. Her heart was light as she went to see an old friend.

Sachiko

As much as she usually dreaded schmoozing clients, Sachiko was in a really good mood as she led the party from Wells Fargo Bank into Minato-cho for a business dinner at Nobu Tokyo. Her father had as low an opinion of American businessmen as his father did; seeing them as nothing more than drones to make money off of. Sachiko had not met many Americans so she reserved judgment. It's not like her father nor her grandfather were great judges of character. They were merely fortunate that most of the men that they did business were as weak as they judged them to be.

Those thoughts were far from the young executive's mind as she charmed the men, giving them hope that the Ogasawara were going to back their new Japanese initiative. She knew that her Grandfather had already chosen to back the RBS because the Scots were almost servile in their presentation (I cannot imagine that a true Scot would humble himself like that). The Americans were far more confident, and were not showing the level of humility that would get the old beast to change his mind.

No, Sachiko's beautiful dark head was full of her former soeur. Logically, she knew that Yumi had not said that she was giving her another chance, but she did leave the door open. This was as much as she could realistically dream of because Sachiko knew that had it been Yumi that had broken her heart and not vice-versa that she would never have forgiven her. Ogasawara never forget a wrong. It's built into their genetic history. This fact did touch an ironic bone that no one knew that she had that she was praying for something from Yumi that she herself would and could not give. While the leader of the doomed American expedition was expounding the virtues of partnering with them, Sachiko was lost in the memory of Yumi's beautiful eyes, staring at her, filled with love.

Unfortunately for the heiress, her reverie was abruptly smashed as one of the Americans, mistaking her dreamy look for attraction to him, put his hand on her knee. While she had grown out of the irrational fear of men that had plagued her adolescence, it did not mean that she liked men touching her, so she turned iciest, most lethal death glare on him. The man quickly removed his hand and excused himself to return to his hotel, probably to change his soiled pants. She thought viciously, 'No one outside of my family but Yumi will ever be allowed to touch me again!' Sachiko stood, bowed, thanked the Wells Fargo party for their time, and announced that she had a child that she needed to spend some time with. With a look of defeat, the Americans moved to allow her to leave. She walked quickly from the restaurant without giving them a second thought, the Ogasawara way.

Still angry when she reached her chauffeured Mercedes GLK350, Sachiko instructed the driver to take her home. On the way, she decided to call Yumi to see if they could meet. The raven-haired mother desperately wanted to see her reflection in those chocolate orbs and maybe, just maybe again feel the warmth that they used to hold. After three rings, Yumi's cell went to voicemail and with a small voice, the now-quite depressed former Rosa spoke into her phone, "I miss you, Yumi. I miss you so much that it hurts. I miss what we had before I allowed my family and my fears for you tear us apart." Tears began to flow from her sapphire eyes, "I was a scared eighteen year old girl who didn't know how to fight for love. I do now. If I had a time machine, I would fly back to the past and tell the old monster to go to hell. My arms ache for you. You were the only source of light in my life, and I feel like I am dying without you. That sounds selfish, doesn't it? You used to love the selfish and hysterical me unconditionally and truly, but now I'm a mother so I cannot afford to be so self-indulgent. I love you and I will do anything to prove it to. Just name it and unless it is asking me to kill Yumiko, and I will do it. Yumi please give me a chance to love you the way that I should have ten years ago." Now sobbing in a manner that no noble woman should, she closed her phone and prayed to Maria-sama for forgiveness.

Yumi

After having dinner and a couple bottles of sake at café near Yumi's house, she and Shimako decided to go dancing. They called a cab and went to the Hello! Project Club. It was a club that Shimako and Noriko had been to on a double date with Rei and Yoshino a couple of years ago. Yumi smiled as her friend/date(?)'s eyes lit up while she described the Hello! Project idols that she had seen there and how cute the girls were there. Yumi had not known that Shimako was such an idol fangirl. It was, the young architect had to admit, quite adorable.

In the taxi, Yumi learned everything that she ever wanted to know about s/Mileage, C-ute, Berryz Koubou, Juice=Juice, Buono, and of course her favorite group, Morning Musume. It was fun seeing another side of a long-time friend. It was the most lively that she had ever seen the Angel of Lillian act.

They finally arrived at the club and Shimako went to check in with the bouncer, who smiled broadly and waved them through. The people in line started cussing about line jumpers. Yumi asked, "How did you do that? There were people that were waiting for a long time to get in."

Shimako laughed, "Tsunku-san, the producer and president of Hello! Project has been attending ceremonies at our temple since he was little. His family has been a part of it for generations. Besides, Niigaki Risa is my cousin."

Even Yumi knew who Niigaki Risa, a former leader of Morning Musume, was. She squealed like a teenager, asking "Can I meet her? She was always so pretty on TV!" Yumi was not a big fan of girl bands, but she did watch all the music programs when they were on because she loved watching the dancers.

Shimako felt a bit of jealousy at hearing her cousin praised as attractive and began to pout prettily, which made Yumi giggle, "Aw, you're cute too, Shimako-chan! It's absolutely adorable when you put on that face!" As Yumi watched the kindergarten teacher blush at the compliment, a languorous warmth began to grow in her abdomen. She thought suddenly, 'Am I really getting these feelings from Shimako-chan too? Don't tell me that I've become a fickle person.'

Yumi tried in vain to hide the blush that she knew was warming her face. Seeing that look helped her date recover from her own embarrassment and emboldened her to lean over and asked with a sultry voice, "Shall we dance, Sexy Yumi-san?" Shimako led her out on the floor as _Brainstorming_ by Morning Musume was blasting through the powerful sound system. She began to further seduce her date by rubbing against now-speechless Yumi in an extremely suggestive manner.

Sputtering, Yumi yelled, "What the hell are you doing, Shimako-chan?"

"It's called dancing, Yumi-san," Shimako laughed. "Dance with me!" She chuckled as her friend tried to shake off her shock and began to dance with her.

A couple of songs later, Yumi had gotten used to Shimako's antics and decided to pay her back in kind. With mischief dancing in herbrown eyes, she waited until Lillian's Angel moved her head close enough and she licked her date's ear, causing her to shriek. It was now Yumi's turn to laugh. Shimako looked indignant for a moment and then began to laugh with her. Suddenly, Shimako leaned in and kissed her gently, and was shocked when Yumi began to return the kiss.

When oxygen deprivation forced them to separate, Yumi looked in Shimako's eyes and saw something. She wasn't sure what it was, but it stirred an emotion inside her that she hadn't felt since she was dating Sachiko. 'She wants me,' Yumi thought. 'Would it be bad to return her feelings? No, I'm single. She's single. What's to stop us from going out?' A pair of icy sapphire eyes answered that question, 'Oh yeah, Sachiko-sama said that she wants to get back together. Should I forgive or should I take this chance?'

Coming down from the kiss high, Shimako, despite the strobe lights in the club, saw the war being waged in her date's eyes. She grasped for Yumi's hands and pulled them to her chest, "Don't think too much about this, Yumi-san. If we are meant to be, then nothing, not even Sachiko-sama can come between us. We have both just ended a relationship so we should not rush anything," she paused, looking in Yumi's eyes. "I really like you, Yumi-san. I may even be falling for you, but if we push ourselves too much, we might break." She smiled and led her date to their table. "I need a drink, how about you, Yumi-san?"

Yumi kissed the young teacher on the cheek, "Thank you so much for caring for me Shimako-chan. Perhaps I am thinking too much. It keeps me from pushing you down and having my wicked way with you like I want at this moment."

"You don't have it in you, Yumi-san," Shimako laughed. "Besides the pie that's fully baked tastes the best."

Yumi pouted, "Meanie. One day I will show you and it will rock your world." The two women laughed and enjoyed some strawberry daiquiris. They kissed several times during the remainder of the evening and finished the date with a drunken make out session in the back of a taxi.

The next morning, Yumi awoke to the mother of all hangovers and a cell phone ringing off the hook. Groggily, she answered, "Fukuzawa Yumi."

The voice on the other ended sounded like she felt, "Yumi, can you really not forgive me? Is Toudou-san better than me? I love you more than anyone else does or can."

"Sachiko-sama," Yumi responded with her head pounding. "It is 6:30 AM on my day off. I have a hangover and do not feel like putting up with your hysterics right now. Please let me sleep until I need to go collect my son from my parents and I will meet you for ice cream and listen to you."

A still ragged, but more hopeful voice asked, "Yumi, do you mean that? Why don't we meet at the Coldstone Creamery near the Lillian campus around 2? I'll bring Yumiko!"

"Sure, whatever Sachiko-sama, good night…" Yumi's voice trailed off as she fell back asleep.

Sachiko

To say that Sachiko was happy as she hung up with Yumi would be an understatement. She was gliding on air through the mansion, eliciting a snarky comment from her husband. "Someone had a good phone call. Did it include some phone sex?"

Sachiko mumbled, "I wish," and turned to confront her husband. Summoning every ounce of Ogasawara disdain, she responded, "I was nothing as crude as that. It's just that I finally got a promise for Yumi and her son to meet with Yumiko and I. I am not going to let this chance get by me!"

Suguru nodded approvingly, "Go get her, Tiger. Go get her before Toudou-chan seals the deal with her. Alice sent me some pictures that one of his friends had emailed him from the Hello! Project club last night. I won't show them to you because I want you to fight for the love of your life."

"I fully intend to not let her go again," Sachiko said with determination. "The biggest mistake of my life was to let the old monster scare me away from Yumi. I want to show her how much that she means to me and how empty my life has been since I broke up with her in my cowardice. Her life went to hell afterwards as well. I have a lifetime's worth of making up to do, and I pray that today is the first step. There is no way that I am losing to Shimako-chan. I was Yumi's first love and her first kiss. Shimako's likely still in love with Noriko."

The blue-eyed prince snorted, "I wouldn't take that too much for granted. Toudou-chan was getting _really_ frisky with our girl at the club and Yumi didn't exactly push her away. It may have been the alcohol, but who knows? Get out there, humble yourself before her, and if you have to kneel to beg her forgiveness then do it. The reality is, that Toudou Shimako's biggest advantage of you is that she's _not _you. The other impediment to getting Yumi-chan to pick you is our marriage, which I have had papers drawn to dissolve. I am strong enough in both the Kashiwagi and Ogasawara conglomerates to beat the old bastard at his own game. _I_ am tired of living this lie and so is Alice. Are you?"

"Of course I am, Suguru-kun," she retorted. "The only good thing to come out of this farce of a marriage is Yumiko."

Suguru favored her with a genuine smile, "On that my dear soon to be ex-wife, I most heartily agree. My only wish is that our daughter would be as lively and vivacious as her namesake. Unfortunately, our marital skirmishes have turned her to how you were before a certain pig-tailed girl came in and shook the foundations of who you are."

"That's why I want Yumiko to meet her so badly," Sachiko said thoughtfully. "Yumi is like a mirror in which one can see the parts of themselves that they do not wish to see. It would be good to get her around Yumi."

Suguru clapped delightedly, "Yes! She can be taught!" They shared another companionable laugh, noticing that this was happening more often. Their marriage might be ending, but they were well on the way to restoring their friendship.

Meanwhile

In the palatial Ogasawara family seat, a maid nervously rapped on her master's door. When she heard no answer, she quietly walked into the room and upon seeing Kentaro's still form, she screamed, "Call an ambulance!"

To be continued…

**A/N**: I am so sorry that it took me so long to put this out. I hope that everyone enjoyed the Yumako fluff. Next chapter will give us a glimpse into what a blended Sachiyumi family would look like. Until then, Peace!


	11. Chapter 11: Friend or Foe?

**A/N**: Been off the grid for about three weeks due to my Alaska cruise and moving, but I'm back and ready to make some SachiYumi fans happier, but not necessarily happy, with this next installment. Yumako fans should not lose heart because this chapter will not decide the contest. I still consider Shimako in the lead to win Yumi, but Sachiko has desperation on her side. I really appreciate all the support that I've received for this story! Thanks, you all rock!

**Disclaimer**: Do I really need to repeat myself? I own nothing but this little scenario, my laptop, and my sick, twisted imagination.

Ten Years Later

Chapter 11: Friend or Foe?

Yumi

Yumi was able to get a couple of more hours of sleep after promising to meet with Sachiko. She took a long shower to try to shake the cobwebs and the effects of the hangover that she earned with Shimako the previous evening. 'Was that a date or just two old friends getting drunk, dancing, and making out? I don't know, but it sure was fun. I want to do it again without these damned after-effects,' she groaned.

By the time she had dressed, her cell was ringing. Yumi was relieved to see that it was her mother and not Sachiko. She answered the phone, and Miki immediately cut to the chase, "Yumi, it is time to come get your son. He had an accident and I do not have a change of clothes for him."

Yumi started, "Yuuichi wet himself? He hasn't done that for years!"

Her mother's voice was impatient as she responded, "I was actually expecting some behaviors from him." Hearing her daughter bristle, Miki pressed on, "In the last few weeks, he went from having both of his parents under the same roof and married to living in separate homes and divorced. This sort of thing is really hard on little kids. They do not understand adult issues and they feel powerless and hurt, so they act out. With all that is going on in your personal life, please do not forget to take into account how it will affect Yuuichi-kun."

Feeling the justification of her mother's admonishment, Yumi bashfully replied, "I will, Mom. Thank you for the reminder. I can be there in fifteen minutes. Is that alright?" Miki answered in affirmation and the call disconnected. As she was walking to her car, Yumi was deep in thought, 'It's fun to go out at night and flirt with Shimako but my son and my work are my priority. I should take him to play at Lillian Park after I'm done with Sachiko-sama's drama.'

Grabbing a change of clothes, Yumi was walking out to her Camry when her phone rang again. This time, it was Shimako. She pushed the talk button, "Good morning, Shimako-chan. How are _YOU_ feeling? I have one hell of a hangover."

The young architect's heart palpitated when she heard Shimako's angelic giggle, "I'm doing quite well, Yumi-san. I would have been better if I hadn't woken up alone, but there will be a next time, won't there?" She asked flirtatiously.

"You know that there will be a next time already, don't you? I felt so…I'm not sure what I felt, but I definitely didn't hate anything that happened last night, except for all the alcohol. I'm NEVER drinking like that again! Next time that we go out, please stop me, Shimako-chan, for both our sakes!"

Shimako giggled again, "You are so cute, Yumi-san. Of all your wonderful expressions, I love your flustered face the most."

"Well, you are doing a damn good job of flustering me right now, Toudou Shimako! Mou!" Yumi pouted. Listening to Shimako's inevitable laughter made her feel better, and after a couple moments to calm herself down, Yumi continued, "Seriously though, something is happening between us, isn't it? My first thought this morning was of you. Before I even remembered that I had a son, I thought of you and it made me smile."

In a more reflective tone, the kindergarten teacher responded, "I feel the same. I wasn't kidding about wishing that I had awoken with you in my arms, Yumi-san. And yet, I know that we both have ghosts to lay aside before things could get serious between us. If we don't deal with them, we will not do justice to these feelings that are growing. I may be in love with you, but I need to be sure that I'm completely over Noriko just as you need to deal with Sachiko's place in your past. I pray that she stays in your past. The first reason is selfish because I want you for myself, but the second reason is that I remember that horrible time after she dumped you. In your place, I don't think that I could ever trust her again."

Yumi rubbed her head, "Yeah about that, I promised to meet her this afternoon for ice cream with our children. I should not have, but she called so early this morning after blowing up my phone last night. I just want to set her straight once and for all plus I would have promised to shave my head if it would have kept her from calling again."

Instead of laughing, Shimako's heart clenched and she asked, "Do you have to meet her, Yumi-san?" 'Damn,' Shimako cursed inwardly, 'I didn't want to sound like a jealous girlfriend.'

"I'm hoping that this is the last time that I ever have to see her," Yumi said evenly. "Shimako-chan, you yourself said that we have to get beyond our past in order to move forward. That is all that I'm doing. Besides, I'm not going to date a married woman."

Shimako squeaked into the phone, "Am I dating a married woman?"

Yumi laughed and asked, "Are we actually dating or are we just seeing each other as friends? Besides, I've already filed for divorce from Masamune-san, so technically I am not a married woman, so you can rest assured Shimako-san that you were not involved in an adulterous act."

Now it was Shimako's turn to pout, "Mou, Yumi-san! Please don't tease so much!" She took a breath, "I will be bluntly honest here. I know that I want to date you, and I think that you want to date me. I was hoping that last night would have made things more official."

"I would love to date you, Shimako-san, but there are things that I need to deal with first like my son and picking him from my parents' house and I need to free myself from Sachiko-sama, so please be patient with me. I will make it worth your while," Yumi finished with a lecherous tone.

Shimako knew that she had better retreat and not push Yumi at this point, "Fair enough, Yumi-san, we've known each other twelve years, I can wait a bit longer. I just get insecure when I know that you will be seeing Sachiko-sama. I think that I really am falling for you." She finished, sounding like she was about to cry

Wishing that she could hug her friend, Yumi said softly, "I wish that I could commit to you now, but this is all I can offer you. I like you a lot, but I just need a little more time. Okay?"

"I understand," Shimako sniffed. "Well, my students are almost here. I have to go. Can I see you tomorrow?"

Yumi smiled, "Absolutely, I hope that you don't mind a third-wheel. I will not have a sitter for Yuuichi."

Brightening at the prospect, Shimako replied, "Bring him over to the Shrine, my father loves kids. Don't worry; he won't try to convert him. My father knows that we are both Catholics. It will give us some time to flirt. Flirting with you is the best!" Both women laughed, said their goodbyes, and hung up.

When Yumi arrived at her parents' house, she was fifteen minutes later than she had quoted and her mother was not happy. 'Oh well,' Yumi thought. 'At least Mom's not as scary as Sachiko-sama.'

Sachiko

"Yumiko, you don't mind coming along to play with Fukuzawa-san's son, do you? I will get you whatever kind of ice cream that you wish," Sachiko asked her daughter nervously. In her mind, everything rode on the meeting this afternoon. She knew that she needed to make a move to counter the lead that Shimako had on her. There was no doubt that the love that she felt for her former soeur was true and real. It was simply a matter of earning Yumi's trust and rekindling their romance.

Yumiko, seeing the plea in her mother's eyes, sighed and replied, "Yes, Mother, I'll keep him company while you and Fukuzawa-sama talk. I want you to be as happy as Father is with Alice-san."

Startled once again by Yumiko's precocity, the raven-haired beauty hugged her and asked, "Do you know how much I love you? You are the most important person in my life and will be so even if Mommy and Yumi get back together. If everything goes well today, you will have a little brother."

"I love you too, Mother," Yumiko said softy, retreating behind her own noble mask. Sachiko's eyes became troubled as she regarded the little old woman in a nine year old body. She thought to herself, 'I need to get her some interaction with the Fukuzawas and the other Rosas. She needs to live a little.'

As the hours until ice cream date passed, Sachiko's nerves became more and more raw. She snapped at the staff. She drank cup after cup of coffee. If there had been any in the house, she probably would have smoked a cigarette. She changed her outfit five times. Finally, around 12:30, she called Youko. "Oneesama," she said on the edge of hysteria, "Yumi agreed to meet with me in an hour and a half. This might be my last chance to make the case for her to accept me back, and Shimako is getting too close. Oneesama, what am I going to do?"

Youko had weathered many of Sachiko's hysteria storms over the years and she dealt with them better than anyone with the exception of Yumi. She paused a moment and spoke with a firm tone, "Sachiko, calm down. Let's look at this rationally. First, are you meeting for lunch or just tea?"

"We are actually meeting for ice cream with our children," replied a subdued heiress.

All business, Youko proceed, "Okay, that is good news because she cannot brush you so easily with her son and her namesake watching. Ice cream puts you almost at the friend level again." She paused and in a softer voice, continued, "Do you know what kind of a miracle that is for her to agree to meet with you? You royally fucked her up ten years ago. She nearly died when you broke up with her. She sleepwalked through her year as Rosa Chinesis, and married the first person to show her love. What do you think would have happened if Shimako had been single back then? _They_ might be married and you would have absolutely NO chance to get her back. Maria-sama has answered your prayers in that she has opened the door for Yumi-chan to forgive you, but that doesn't mean that you will get back together. Just be yourself and give thanks to God and to Maria-sama that she agreed to meet with you and give you a chance to make your case. Does that sound good?"

Floored, Sachiko meekly answered, "Yes, Oneesama. By the way, I think that you are picking up on Sei-sama's bad habits because I've never heard you curse like you just did before."

"After twelve years of being together, it is logical that she would rub off on me…" the attorney was interrupted by her soeur's raucous laughter. Youko thought a moment, flushed crimson, and snapped, "Get your mind out of the gutter, smart ass! Sachiko, I am due in court momentarily; is there anything else that you need?"

Wiping the tears of mirth from her eyes, Sachiko responded, "No Oneesama, thank you. You have given me plenty to think about and you've calmed me down. Good luck in court today."

Sachiko could hear the smirk in the former Rosa's voice, "My dear Sachiko, I don't need luck because I prepare enough to make my own. Besides, the lawyer for the other side has a crush on my Sei. She flirts with her constantly. And Sei just eats it up just to make me angry. She likes to make me mad and seduce me while I'm still mad. It will be my pleasure to show her that she isn't in my class in either the courtroom or in the bedroom. Gokigenyou." Youko hung up embarrassed that she disclosed something so personal to her petite soeur.

A chill went down Sachiko's spine, and she thought, 'Note to self, do not make an enemy of Oneesama. She's scary! Okay, it's time to get Yumiko ready to go to the café!' Sachiko wound up choosing to wear an outfit consisting of blue-jean Capris and white silk short-sleeve blouse. She thought that it looked casual without being sloppy. She wanted to set a relaxed tone to hide her desperation. Yumiko chose a simple one piece dress that had a wide, shiny black leather belt to keep from looking like a tunic. The mother did appear a bit underdressed compared to her daughter, but she thought, 'It can't be helped.'

Sachiko did not trust herself to drive to the Cold Stone Creamery shop near Lillian, so she had her personal chauffeur take them in her favorite black Lincoln MKS. They arrived before Yumi and Yuuichi, which made Sachiko even more nervous as the doubts began to roll like ocean waves, 'What if she doesn't show? She was half-asleep when I called. What if Shimako got to her? What if standing us up is part of her revenge?' Her dithering ended when Yumi pulled up in her Silver 2011 Camry. Angels sang hymns of joy in the heiress' heart as she saw Yumi and Yuuichi walking toward the ice cream shop. "Harada-san, please help my daughter get out of the car," she commanded as she leapt out of the car to meet her love. It was all that she could do to be patient enough to wait for Yumiko. Reining herself in, she grabbed Yumiko's hand and smiled.

Yumi

While she was unbuckling Yuuichi from his booster seat, Yumi felt the dread increase. She was scared that she would give Sachiko more hope that they could be together again. She was scared that she would fall in love with Sachiko's daughter. She was scared that she would hurt Shimako. 'We aren't even official and I'm worried about being faithful to her. Is that weird?'

She brushed that thought away and led her excited son to the store. Yuuichi loved ice cream in general and Cold Stone Creamery in particular. He loved that you could mix different flavors and even though they only went their once or twice a month, he had tried most of the conventional combinations and was now starting on some more experimental ones. Nevertheless, he was already bouncing off the walls before he even got a taste.

As they reached the door, she heard a breathless voice say, "Yumi." How many times had that voice made her heart beat faster? How many times did that voice make her fall in love? Now it just made her annoyed. She wheeled around to confront her ex-girlfriend and saw a miniature Sachiko holding her mother's hand. Sachiko smiled brightly, "Yumi, this is my daughter Ogasawara Yumiko. Yumiko, this is my friend, Fukuzawa Yumi."

Yumi started, 'Did she just say _Yumiko_? She named her child after me?' Despite her moment of surprise, she recovered and introduced her son to Sachiko, "Sachiko-sama, this is my son, Fukuzawa Yuuichi. Yuuichi, say hello to Ogasawara-sama and Yumiko-san."

Yuuichi bowed at waist, and said, "It's nice to meet you, Ogasawara-thama." Both women chuckled at the little boy's attempt at a polite greeting and thought that his slight speech impediment was cute. Yumiko was unfazed by the interaction.

Sachiko nudged her daughter, and Yumiko curtseyed, "Thank you for inviting us out, Fukuzawa-sama."

Yumi smiled, "You are quite welcome, Yumiko-chan." To Sachiko, "She is so much like you, it isn't funny."

"Yuuichi-kun looks just like his uncle, doesn't he?" Sachiko returned.

Yumi chuckled, "He acts like a combination of my little brother and my ex-husband."

Sachiko's jaw dropped, "I'm sorry, Yumi-san, did you say 'ex-husband' in reference to Kobayashi-san?"

"Yes, well that would require a discussion to explain that is unsuitable for young ears," Yumi said in obvious discomfort. "Shall we order?"

After sitting Yumiko next to Yuuichi, Sachiko suggested that they use text messaging to carry on the more adult parts of the conversation so as to not upset Yuuichi. Yumi agreed that was wise and while watching Yuuichi slowly draw Yumiko from behind her wall, they chatted about innocuous things aloud and Yumi explained that she was only into women and she needed to leave Masamune to find love.

"So you are a lesbian, Yumi?" Sachiko asked in a text. "Yes," Yumi replied.

Feeling bold, Sachiko texted back, "Well, I am a woman and I am in love with you. Is there anything stopping us from getting back together? I would love nothing more than to shower so much love on you that the world would envy us." A flash of anger shot from the architect's eyes, and Sachiko thought, 'Shit, I pushed too far.'

Yumi responded aloud, "Yes, there is." She continued in next text, "Ten fucking years that I cannot let go of. That is what is stopping me from giving you a chance. Ten years of loneliness and pain that has kept me from replying to Shimako's confession. Ten years of thinking that I was not good enough for you."

Sachiko was gobsmacked, "Shimako confessed? She is a wonderful woman, but I never stopped loving you. I've never stopped wanting you. I wish that I could have died instead of hurting you like I did, but other than my daughter, YOU are the most important thing to me. More than the Ogasawara name or empire. I would live in a shack with you."

"Okay, Sachiko-sama, I get it," Yumi texted back. "You remembered that you love me after all these years. What if I told you that I was falling for Shimako? Are you still confident that you could get me to love you back then?"

Sachiko looked sad, and replied, "No, I'm not. All that I have is Yumiko and my hope. I hope that you could give me a chance to compete on an even playing field with Shimako. Do you hate me so much that it is impossible?"

Yumi paused a moment, looked in her former soeur's eyes, saw the hope, fear, and love in them, and asked herself, 'Is it?'

To be continued…

**A/N**: Sorry for the long delay. I went on a cruise to Alaska on the Celebrity Solstice. It was AWESOME! We also moved and I'm now looking for work. If my now 3 year old daughter will cooperate, I should be able to write more often until I find a job. I hope that this was worth the wait. Please let me know what you thought. Peace!


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